By Ignatius Ajatiton
The attack by unknown gunmen at the house of a journalist
in Festac Town Lagos, has been condemned by several civil society groups, human
rights groups and the media in Nigeria.
Yesterday evening, hoodlums stormed the residence of the
journalist and shot sporadically at everything on sight.
The gateman was also shot and presently lying critically
at the hospital in Ikeja, Lagos.
It was gathered that the journalist and his family had
left the house before the attackers struck.
The Human Rights Awareness Ray, Institute for West African
Rights, Save Us by Good Governance Connect With Peace and the media in Nigeria have condemned the attack.
In a press statement by the Human Rights Awareness Ray
(HRAR), the attack is an affront to the rule of law, right to liberty and has sent
a signal to the federal government to secure lives with the constant killings
and kidnappings that has become a norm in the country.
According to the Executive director of HRAR, Gideon
Uzezi, the attackers intent is to silence objective reporting with their
initial threats.
The Residence in Festac before the attack
“Insecurity in Nigeria is terrible bad. Nobody is safe
anymore. Now, terrorists can come to any part of the country and shot or bomb
anyone they feel he is reporting about them.
This is absolutely unacceptable. Where was the security agents when
these hoodlums can take over half an hour to operate unchallenged”, he said
“We are also glad that nobody was at home when they
stuck. I can imagine what would have happened when they meet the journalist or
his family at home. We are so happy they
did not meet them. Infact, I very happy. I’m so glad.
“We are still appealing to the federal government to look
into the issue of security. Insecurity in
Nigeria has gotten out of hand. When insurgent
have now turned their guns to the third estate of the realm, what now becomes
of we the citizens. I don’t want to quantify
the fate of we the citizens if this is happening. We have not gotten to the
state of lawlessness.
According the neighbour of the journalist, Mrs. Helen
Feyisayo, the journalist has received death threats from a terrorist
organisation, ISWA, through a letter and telephone calls and had discussed the
threat with her husband before fleeing the residence.
Details about the content of the threat and location of
the journalist are still unknown since yesterday.
There are also conflicting reports about the number of
the gunmen that attacked the house which resulted in several traffic jam around
the environ and roads leading to Festac Town.
Some witnesses said the gunmen were close to ten in
number, others said they were over six in number.
The gunmen came in two separate green and cars but nobody
as able to not the car plate number and the model of the car.
The lack of CCTV camera was also noted to have impeded
detection of the assailants and their vehicles
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