Ogun NUJ directs members to close GTBank accounts over colleagues' detention

The Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has directed its members who owns accounts with Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTbank) to close down their accounts with immediate effect. 

According to a release by Comrade Hakeem Adegbenro, the directive comes on the heels of continuous detention of a member of the council, Seun Odunlami in connection with an alleged investigative report involving the bank and it's Chief Executive Officer, Segun Agbaje. 

It will be recalled that Seun Odunlami and 3 others were arrested in a gestapo manner, and has been remanded at the Ikoyi correctional center for more than a month, with efforts to get bail proving difficult. 

Speaking with newsmen at the council's secretariat in Iwe Iroyin, Abeokuta, on Monday, 4th November, 2024, the Chairman of the council, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju noted that the offence with which Odunlami and others were accused of, is a bailable offence, and being in detention for over 7 weeks is against their fundamental human rights. 

Olanrewaju however called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to further tinker with the Cybercrime Act of 2024 as amended, saying that the law has been used to cowed the media, with frivolous charges in courts. 

"I stand before you with a heavy heart, compelled to address a deeply troubling matter involving the abduction and continued detention of an individual who is unjustly held under dubious circumstances. 

"The manner in which this abduction was executed is alarming. It appears that the very institutions that are supposed to protect our citizens are being manipulated for personal agenda.

"This case, which we believe is characterized by a clear abuse of power, reveals a concerning trend where individuals are detained not based on lawful grounds, but rather through the influence of certain powerful entities. 

"We must recognize that the use of police force to enforce such actions is not just an infringement of rights, but a grave infraction on the principles of justice and democracy.

"It is important to stress that these individuals are facing charges that are bailable, yet they remain trapped in a web of unlawful custody that violates their rights and undermines our justice system".

"I hereby call on all journalists in Ogun state to close down their various accounts in GTbank. This also includes all chapels under the Ogun State Council. 

"I also call on other state councils to join us in this struggle to free our members. 

"As we bring this issue to light, we urge anyone with information or influence to stand up against this injustice. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all individuals receive fair treatment under the law, regardless of their circumstances or affiliations", the Council Chairman concluded.