Benue government has arrested and taken to Makurdi, Benue State capital, a senior journalist with Peoples Daily newspaper, Sunday Ode over an alleged offensive statement he issued on behalf of the Association of Igede Media. Professionals.
Ode, who is the President of the association, was picked up yesterday, May 1, on the order of Governor Samuel Ortom.
A statement today, May 1 by Egah Egiri for the association, said that Ode was arrested yesterday, April 30, at Karu by armed policemen and DSS operatives.
The association said that the security operatives said that they were acting at the behest of the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom.
“They told Odeh that the Governor wanted to see him in connection with his press statements.
“The Igede Media Professionals Association of which Mr. Odeh is President, has been critical of the way Dr. Ortom has handled security issues in Benue State, especially between the Bonta Tiv (where 12 soldiers were killed in cold blood) in Konshisha Local Government and Ukpute (the Igede) in Oju Local Government.
“Dr. Ortom had reportedly threatened to deal with Mr Sunday Odeh over the association’s criticism, adding that in his heyday, he would have since sent an assasination squad to take care of Sunday Egena Odeh.
“Mr Odeh shared this information with not a few confidants.
“He was arrested this evening with his cousin, Johnson Ubeh who was later released when Sunday Egena Odeh showed up.
“The fellows that arrested him said they were police and DSS personnel. They said they were taking him to Governor Ortom in Makurdi.
“We are worried that harm may befall Sunday Egena Odeh given the fury of the Governor and his self-professed/confessed past.
“As stated earlier, his arrest is not unconnected with the group’s views on the sloppy handling of the crisis between Bonta in Konshisha and Ukpute in Oju Local Governments area of Benue which snowballed into the killing of twelve soldiers.
“Please do all that is necessary to forestall any harm coming to Mr Sunday Egena Odeh.
“We wonder on whose order Mr Sunday Egena Odeh was arrested in the first place given the fact that the courts have been on strike!”
