Nigerian journalist, Jones Abiri, re-arrested

Four armed men suspected to be operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) on Saturday whisked away a journalist, Jones Abiri, to an disclosed location.

Mr Abiri, the publisher of Weekly Source Newspaper, had been incarcerated for about two years without trial. He was eventually charged for terrorism but was discharged by the court. The court also ordered the SSS to pay him N10 million which the agency is yet to do.

On Saturday Mr Abiri was whisked away at about 4:30 p.m. by SSS operatives..

According to eyewitnesses, Mr Abiri was in company of some collegues at his office at Azikoro junction of Yenagoa when the armed men arrived at the scene in a white Hilux Van and black Prado Jeep and forcibly dragged and pushed their victim into one of the vehicles and drove off.

Austin Bodo, a journalist who witnessed the incident, told the News Agency of Nigeria that “we were sitting outside his office when a black Prado jeep and white Hilux drove into the premises in commando style.

“As they packed, two men carrying the type of guns used by DSS operatives, jumped out of one of the cars and said Abiri was under arrest and immediately started dragging him and forced him into one of the cars and drove off.”

Another witness, Bankole Abdulazeez, said “we were discussing national issues when the cars drove in.

“Two armed men came out of the cars and without identifying themselves, they said you are under arrest and started dragging him.

“They threatened to shoot anybody that tries to stop them.

“I heard him shouting ‘what have I done again? what have I done again?’ Before they finally dragged him into one of the cars and drove off,” he said.

When contacted, a DSS Official, who preferred anonymity, said: “I only heard of it from a journalist friend; I don’t think it is our men from here.”