It was reported that armed men kidnapped Olatunji from his Lagos residence on Friday of last week.
This was stated in a statement released on Tuesday and bearing the signature of Akorede Opeyemi, the union’s assistant national secretary.
Olatunji, a former PUNCH correspondent from Kaduna State, was kidnapped by ten armed men last Friday while he was at his home in the Iyana Odo neighborhood of Abule Egba, Lagos.
As of now, there has been no word on his whereabouts.
Opeyemi, in the statement, described Olatunji’s abduction as another threat to freedom of the press.
The statement read, “The disappearance of Segun Olatunji, the editor of First News newspapers, is another sad reminder of the danger being faced daily by journalists in the line of duty.
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“Eyewitness reports had it that Olatunji was taken away last Friday in his Lagos home in the presence of his family by 10 fully armed men, two of whom were dressed in military uniform.
“Although it is not clear which agency of government was responsible for the arrest of the journalist, we believe that freedom of the press and opinion remain defining elements of the rule of law and democracy.
“For this reason, the Nigerian government needs to work to protect freedom of the press and freedom of movement for media professionals. Safety and security of journalists are very important.
“Actions like this are unacceptable and are attempts to intimidate journalists and force them into self-censorship. The professional work of journalists is clearly in the public interest, and acts of impunity against them should not be condoned.”
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Olatunji, stressing that the demand for his release was in the interest of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.
“Olatunji should be released immediately and unconditionally in the interest of democracy, good governance and the rule of law,” he concluded.
In a Save Our Soul letter to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, the family of the kidnapped journalist also begged for his unconditional and immediate release.
