Anxiety over health of Independent Newspapers’ Abuja Bureau Chief detained by DSS

The management of Independent Newspapers has cried out that their Abuja Bureau Chief, Tony Ezimakor , detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) may be in danger of his health deteriorating as he has a serious medical condition and has not been allowed access to his drugs.

A statement by the Editor of Daily Independent, Don Okere, said, in full:

The Department of State Services (DSS) that arrested and detained Tony Ezimakor, INDEPENDENT Newspapers’ Abuja Bureau Chief on Wednesday, February 28, has held on to him for the second day running.

Ezimakor had walked into DSS headquarters in Abuja about 10.30a.m on Wednesday to honour an invitation from the security agency, and was detained.

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.

INDEPENDENT management had made frantic efforts through its lawyer, Mr. Douglas Ekhator, since Wednesday to see the detained Ezimakor but with little result.

As at today, the INDEPENDENT management had received no news about Mr. Ezimakor, though the lawyer, Mr. Ekhator, returned to the DSS office on Thursday morning.

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.

Signed:

Don Okere,

Editor,

DAILY INDEPENDENT