Olayiwola Matthew
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released and apologised over two reporters of Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, Plateau State, who were wrongfully arrested during the visit on Saturday of President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu was in the state for the burial of the mother of the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwadta Goshwe.
According to a credible security source, on hearing that some overzealous operatives had arrested Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, who work for the radio station, the Director-General, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, ordered their immediate release.
According to the source, the Service also immediately contacted the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, and conveyed the DG’s apologies.
The source said: The Director General assured the NUJ president that the new DSS leadership treasures the importance of a free press in a democracy, and has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.
“He further assured the NUJ president that any officer found culpable will be appropriately sanctioned.
“The new DG is correcting the wrongs he inherited.
“One of them is overzealousness.
“This is why the new DG has not failed to admit so whenever the Service makes mistakes.
“We are witnesses to several instances when the Service apologised and even compensated victims of wrongful arrests.
“The DG is an absolute lover of human rights and press freedom.
“You may recall that sometime ago, the DSS DG apologised to the management of TVC over the alleged harassment and intimidation of a reporter.”