Tordue Salem’s death: NAWOJ calls for thorough investigation

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, has called for thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a late journalist, Mr Tordue Salem.

The Chairperson of the chapter, Mrs Anna Daniel, made the call in a communique issued and jointly signed by Mrs Nkiru Nnoli-Okeke, the chapter’s Secretary, in Abuja on Sunday.

Daniel said NAWOJ, in session, had raised the alarm over the security challenges facing the country, while condemning, in strong terms, the death of Salem.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that late Salem, a Vanguard Newspapers reporter, was declared missing on Oct. 13.

Salem was reportedly found dead on Nov.11, allegedly in government hospital morgue, where his body was said to have been deposited, following a road accident on the day he went missing.

”The association called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, to order thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the late journalist.

”NAWOJ also queried the manner in which the Vanguard Newspaper, late Tordue’s employers, hurriedly broke the news of his death.

”This is 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,” she said.

Daniel, however, said the association decried the rate of inflation in the country, especially the hike in the prices of foodstuffs and other essential commodities, including cooking gas, charcoal and kerosene.

The NAWOJ chairperson, lamenting the hardship being experienced by women and children due to inflation, called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to check the inflation.

She also called on the FG to look into the issue of the supply of adulterated kerosene and artificial scarcity of other petroleum products by marketers in anticipation of further hike in prices.

She expressed displeasure over the Nov. 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.

She also noted that the explosion was alleged to be as a result of  adulterated kerosene.

Daniel condemned the killing of the three soldiers, including a General, in Askira Uba in Borno , allegedly by the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP).

She, however, encouraged security agencies to do more in tackling the issues of insecurity. (NAN)