Following a report by Premium Times that a Nigerian journalist was missing while on a trip to Abuja over an investigative story he was doing on the Niger State government, the state government has come out to debunk the claims, alleging that the journalist attempted to blackmail the government.
The claim which was backed up with a series of text message allegedly exchanged between the journalist, Tega Oghenedoro or Fejiro Oliver – the moniker he goes by – and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of the Niger state government, Saidu Ndako.
According to Israel Ebije, the chief press secretary to the Niger state governor, Muazu Aliyu, the journalist, said to be a producer/cameraman of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Asaba, Delta state attempted to blackmail officials of the Niger state government over a story on the governor.
Ebije said when it was clear that Oghenedoro -who also works for Elombah Communications, an online news medium – wanted to blackmail, he was sent a letter, asking him to desist as his actions bore grievous consequences, but the journalist was adamant.
According to The Scoop, Oghenedoro together with Stanley Gene and Francis Arinze, both now at large, co-founded a group called the Secret Reporters Group (SRG) aimed at blackmailing government official and business institutions for the purpose of extorting money from them.
In Ebije’s words: “I even put out a caveat to him through his so-called secret reporters warning him of the consequences of his actions, but because he is greedy he still insisted. We are already aware that the documents he claimed to have were given to him by an aggrieved government official, Iliyasu Dhako, who I have on tape confessing and apologising for his action.”
He further stated that the State Security Service (SSS) was alerted and a trap using the text messages was set for the journalist, who greedily fell into it and was subsequently arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja.
The director of security service, Larry Obiagwu said the Niger state government had contacted them over threats by Oghenedoro and his cohorts to expose fraudulent transactions by the government unless the sum of N5o million was paid to them, adding that since he was an NTA staff in Delta state, Niger was not within his jurisdiction.
On his part, Oghenedoro denied all charges against him, saying he was enroute Minna, the Niger state capital to further get information for his story.
Here are excerpts of the messages:
Ndako: We are working out the possibility of beating the 9.30 am deadline to get the ticket out, your coming will be late evening and weekend, please tell me what to do next because I want an end to this issue and possible retrieval of all the documents. Regards
Fejiro: Sir, as long as Israel is out of the issue, we can manage everything successfully. I have gotten the receipt (sic) of the ticket and will be in Abuja tomorrow.
Ndako: Just trying to get prepared for what we shall be looking at because of weekend.
Fejiro: SSG Sir, we can discuss everything when I come in tomorrow but you can count on me that it will be fruitful.
Ndako: So how do we meet, where and when. need airport pickup?
Fejiro: Good Morning Sir, when the plane is set to fly, I will inform you. My staff in Abuja will be at the airport to pick me. Hotel accommodation for the 3 days is what is left and that can be done when I’m in Abuja.
Ndako: Okay no problem. Call me when you are in town
Fejiro: My flight is leaving now Sir.
