The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, has condemned, in strong terms, the death of Vanguard reporter, Mr. Tordue Henry Salem, who was declared missing on October 13, 2021, but was reportedly found dead on November 11 allegedly in government hospital morgue where his body is said to have been depositied following a road accident on the day he went missing.
This is contained in a Communique signed by the Association’s Chairperson, Comrade Anna Daniel and secretary, Nkiru Nnoli-Okeke and issued at end its congress held in November At The NUJ Secretariat Utako, Abuja.
According to the communique, NAWOJ also queried the manner in which the Vanguard Newspaper, late Tordue’s employers, hurriedly broke the news of his death without considering the psychological effect it will have on family members of the deceased who were not given prior notice of their son’s death.
It however called on the Inspecror General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, to order thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the late journalist as well as ensure all those either by omission or negligence failed do right by Tordue, even in death, are brought to book to serve as deterrent to others.
The Association also decried the rate of inflation in the country especially the hike in prices of food stuff and other essential commodities including cooking gas, charcoal and kerosene adding that the women and children are the worst hit by inflation.
‘The hardship being experienced by women and children due to inflation makes it more difficult for families to hardly afford one square meal not to talk of three sqaure meals daily.’
NAWOJ, therefore, called on the federal government to urgently intervene to check the inflation as well as look into the issue of the supply of adulterated kerosene and artifical scarcity of other petroleum products by marketers in anticipation of further hike in prices.
NAWOJ also noted displeasure over the November 6 tanker explosion in the Kubwa area of the FCT leading to the death of at least five people with many others sustaining various degrees on injury, noting that the explosion is alleged to be as a result of adulterated kerosene.
“We also condemned the killing of the three soldiers including a General, who was allegedly gruesomely murdered by the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) in a remote village in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The women journalists however, called on all security agencies to intensify efforts to tackle the ugly menace of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of violent crimes within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other parts of the country.
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