Speaker Gbajabiamila promises to ensure safe release of VANGUARD Reporter

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Nigeria National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, at the opening of a two-day capacity building Workshop jointly organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies for the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs in Abuja, promised to utilize all available security avenues to ensure the safe return of the Reporter of Vanguard Newspapers, Tordue Salem, who disappeared about two weeks while on assignment at the National Assembly.

Tordue Salem was said to be last seen at the National Assembly at about 4.00pm and 5.00pm on October 13. Thereafter, his media colleagues covering the National Assembly never saw him again.

The National Assembly Correspondents were said to have reported the disappearance of Salem at the National Assembly Police Station on October 15.

It was gathered that as the report got to the office of the Inspector General of Police, the IG gave “a firm order that no human or material resource should be spared at locating and understanding the rationale behind his disappearance.”

The FCT Police Command has been investigating the circumstance of the missing Vanguard Reporter.

Meanwhile, the Country Representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Vladimir Kreck, at the ongoing workshop disclosed that the foundation has been committed to media training and citizens engagement over the years, supporting the improvement of participation in the governance process and to promote media freedom which helps in strengthening democracy in every country.

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abubakar Sulaiman, had noted the imperative of the House Committee on Media acquiring capacity to build the image of the federal legislature. He promised to work with the National Assembly towards capacity building to communicate with key stakeholders, Civil Society Organisations, constituents, and development partners, towards transmitting the activities of the legislature to the People.