By Uche Amunike
The National President of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Comrade Chris Isiguzo has called on state actors and security operatives to unmask the killers of missing Vanguard reporter, Tordue Salem.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Life and Times, he expressed his pain at the fact that Tordue died under such gruesome circumstances.
He tasked Security agencies to carry out the next line of action, which is to unmask those behind the dastardly act, since Tordue had already been confirmed dead.
Hear him: ‘It is their responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property. One does not necessarily need to be a journalist to be protected, to enjoy a secure environment to be safe in his own country. So it’s Tordue today. We don’t know who it’s going to be tomorrow. We really appeal to state actors, security operatives and security agencies not to allow this to be one of those things that will happen and nothing comes out of it. We believe that they will fish out those behind this and serve them the full wrath of the law. That’s the only way the soul of Tordue Salem will rest in peace’.
He expressed the feeling of loss being presently experienced by the Nigerian Union of Journalists even as he expressed the condolences of the Union to Tordue’s immediate family, especially his innocent young daughter who has been asking for the whereabouts of her father since October 13 2021 when he suddenly went missing. He prayed that God will grant them the strength, the Grace and fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.
‘His loss is a huge one, but I believe that God will console all of us. May his soul rest in peace, Amen’, he concluded.
Recall that Tordue Salem, apart from being a reporter with Vanguard Newspaper, was also a member of the Press Corps of the House of Representatives. He was said to have reported for work on the last day that he was seen, around the Garki District before his sudden disappearance.
Just a few days before he was found dead, the House of Representatives urged all security agencies in the country to investigate and find Tordue Salem.
This was after Lawmaker representing Delta, raised concerns about the spate of insecurity in the FCT, during plenary.
He explained that Tordue Salem’s disappearance was reported to the Security agencies after concerted efforts made by his family and friends to find him proved abortive and yet there was no headway.
This was why the House resolved that the Committees on National Intelligence, including that of Police and Interior should liase with Service Chiefs and find the missing Tordue Salem. Unfortunately this was not successfully done until his corpse was found on Thursday.
Elumelu particularly decried his pain which moved him to sponsor the motion when Tordue Salem’s daughter cried out on his birthday because she could not call her dad as she usually did during his birthdays.
