Following a barrage of outrage by the public and the media, the Department of State Services (DSS), on Saturday night, released two female journalists working with Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, Plateau State, who were arrested while covering the funeral of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, the late mother of the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe.
The duo, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, were earlier reported missing by the station after their arrest by the security agents for posting a video report on Jay FM social media handles showing a face-off involving a cleric and some security operatives during the funeral service.
With the news of the missing journalists going viral and creating a storm in Jos, the DSS had no option but to release them.
The management of the station which confirmed their release in a statement late Saturday, said after hours of uncertainty, the duo were located at the DSS office in Jos and have since regained their freedom.
“Upon confirming that the DSS was holding them, frantic efforts were made to secure their release. Although our efforts were initially rebuffed, they were eventually released,” the management said in the statement signed by its Managing Director, Comrade Clinton Garuba.
Garuba, who strongly condemned the arrest of the journalists, described it as illegal, undemocratic and suppression of press freedom.
“This event has once again prompted us to draw attention to the disturbing issues of press freedom violations, human rights abuses, and the erosion of the rule of law by security agencies,” Garuba said.
The Jay FM management claimed their staff were professionals and were only carrying out their duties by doing what well trained journalists would do and are ethically mandated carry out their duties and document incidents for public record and accountability.
It called on the DSS to respect press freedom and act within the law, stressing that the press is not an enemy of the state.
“We remind the agency that this nation is under civilian rule, not military dictatorship. Security agencies exist to protect citizens, not to intimidate or abduct them.
“To those who wield power, we remind you that the freedom of the press is the lifeblood of democracy. When journalists are silenced, democracy dies in darkness,” the statement added.
DSS releases female journalists arrested during APC Chairman’s mother’s funeral