DSS operatives
The Department of State Services, which arrested and detained Tony Ezimakor, the Independent Newspapers’ Abuja Bureau Chief, on Wednesday last week, has released him after one week of detention. He was released about 10.30pm Tuesday night.
While in detention, his home was ransacked by men of the DSS with his laptop and other materials taken away. He was detained for a story published by the newspaper on how captives of Boko Haram were released. The story gave details of the negotiation and the involvement of a Swiss national.
Ezimakor had walked into DSS headquarters in Abuja about 10.30am on Wednesday to honour an invitation from the security agency.
He was 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 Independent management had made frantic efforts through its lawyer, Douglas Ekhator, since Wednesday to see the detained Ezimakor but with little result.
The management in a statement said: “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.”
