The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, like many, appears unconvinced with claims by Police authorities in Abuja, Friday, that a paraded 29-year-old Itoro Clement is the killer of Vanguard reporter, Tordue Salem.
Salem, who covered the House of Representatives, got missing on October 13, in Abuja at about 8 p.m.
Omo-Agege, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, asked the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to unravel the mysterious circumstances leading to the killing of Salem.
The Senate number two man expressed regret over the unfortunate incident and emphasized the need for conclusive investigations that’ll unmask all those involved in Tordue’s death.
He said the parade of Itoro Clement – a commercial driver who allegedly knocked down and killed the journalist – has raised further questions on the circumstances leading to his demise.
The Delta Central lawmaker noted that providing the missing puzzle is the only way to bring closure on the matter, adding that anything short of this would add to the list of unresolved murders of journalists carrying out their constitutional duties.
“The news of the killing of Mr. Tordue Henry Salem came to me as a rude shock, especially as it came barely 48-hours after the Senate and House of Representatives passed separate resolutions tasking security agencies to intensify efforts to find him and reunite him with his family.
“I am particularly worried that this is happening at the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Reports abound of kidnappings and other security breaches in the nation’s capital.
“While we await further briefing from the police on who deposited Tordue’s corpse in the morgue and when it was deposited, the sad development has added to the list of unresolved killings of journalists like Dele Giwa, founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine; Godwin Agbroko of ThisDay; Bagauda Kaltho of (The News); Bayo Ohu (The Guardian); Edo Sule Ugbagwu (The Nation) and Abayomi Ogundeji (ThisDay), who were all murdered in the course of discharging their constitutional duties.
“I extend my condolences to the family, friends and associates of the deceased, the government and people of Benue State, the Vanguard family, House of Representatives Press Corps, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”, he said
Meanwhile, Addressing journalists on the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba said upon interrogation, Clement, who is a commercial driver, said he hit Salem around Mabushi/Wuse area of Abuja metropolis at about 10p.m., on the day of his disappearance.
He said the driver took off immediately and never reported the accident to the police.
According to Force PRO, further police investigation indicated that Salem’s body, already identified by members of his family, was deposited at Wuse General Hospital.
He said that the police were, however, able to retrieve three identity cards and two Automated Teller Machine, ATM, cards of two commercial banks when the body was searched.
The identity cards included that of Vanguard, National Assembly and Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ.
Asked who deposited Tordue’s body and why the hospital didn’t contact the police at the time, Mba said he cannot speak for the hospital.
He, however, attributed that to some administrative negligence which he said was unfortunate.
Clement, on his part, said he thought the person he knocked down was an armed robber.
He said the person hurriedly crossed the road as if he was being chased by some people.
He said that the spot where the incident occurred was notably notorious.
▪︎ Additional reports by Vanguard