Nigeria: Radio journalist dies following kidnap

Journalist Maxwell Nashian of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) FM Station, also known as Fombina FM, died at the hospital where he was taken after being found unconscious with serious injuries. The journalist was abducted by unknown assailants on 15 January. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in condemning this heinous crime and calling for the killers to be brought to justice.

A man listens to a radio sets to monitor proceedings during Nigerian presidential elections in Daura, Katsina State, on March 28, 2015. Credit: PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP

According to local reports, Maxwell Nashian was abducted from his residence in the Lainde –Badirisa community of northern Adamawa State, where he was later found unconscious with signs of beatings and cuts on his body.  He was spotted by a group of women going to their farms, who then alerted the Civil defense operatives at the radio station. He was rushed to hospital but died on arrival.  

The police have reportedly retrieved a message from Nashian on his phone, saying that his life had been threatened. A computer was taken from his house when he was abducted.

The Chairman of the NUJ Adamawa State Council, Ishaka Donald Dedan, condemned in the strongest terms  the killing of their colleague and called on the Adamawa State Government to “Set up measures that will stem the tide of increasing insecurity most especially kidnapping and armed banditry in the state.”

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “Maxwell Nashion's horrifying death is further proof of safety crisis in Nigerian journalism. Maxwell is the second journalist killed within a week in the country and we are deeply concerned about the fate of our colleagues on the ground. We urge the Nigerian government to do its utmost to protect the press and ensure Maxwell's killers are brought to justice."

 

 

 

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