Management of The Independent newspaper has cried out over the ill-health of its Abuja Bureau Chief, Tony Ezimakor, who has been in Department of State Security (DSS) detention since yesterday, Wednesday.
A statement from the management today, Thursday, said that Ezimakor had walked into DSS headquarters in Abuja about 10.30am on Wednesday to honour an invitation from the security agency.
The statement said that the journalist was then shunted from one office to the other on Wednesday and was asked to wait for a particular officer who was said to have been away from his office.
“The management had made frantic efforts through its lawyer, Douglas Ekhator, since Wednesday to see the detained Ezimakor but with little result.
“As at Thursday (today), the management had received no news about Ezimakor, though Ekhator (the lawyer) returned to the DSS office on Thursday morning.
The management added in the statement: “one thing is certain, Mr. Ezimakor was not given his medication though the lawyer who took it to him late Wednesday.
“We hereby alert the world to this real and present danger that Mr. Ezimakor is a high blood pressure patient and apart from taking his drugs, needs to see his doctors at very short notice.
“The implication is very clear; any outfit holding him for days is endangering his life.
“We reiterate that Mr. Ezimakor’s wife said the husband left home on Wednesday without medication and did not eat any food before leaving home Wednesday morning.
“She lamented that her husband’s health must be in grave danger, especially as DSS operatives have denied him access to his prescribed drugs.
“INDEPENDENT, therefore, is asking for its Abuja Bureau Chief’s immediate and unconditional release, otherwise his life is in serious danger.” [myad]
