The Patriot Institute of Journalism and Arts (PIJA), Lance Magazine is a public-centric independent media organisation dedicated to fighting injustice, fostering social justice and community development through the telling and retelling of the marginalised-oriented stories.
Police authorities in Abuja, Friday, paraded 29-year-old Itoro Clement, suspected to be the killer of Vanguard reporter, Tordue Salem.
Salem, who covered the House of Representatives, got missing on October 13, in Abuja at about 8p.m.
Addressing journalists on the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba said upon interrogation, Clement, who is a commercial driver, said he hit Salem around Mabushi/Wuse area of Abuja metropolis at about 10p.m., on the day of his disappearance.
He said the driver took off immediately and never reported the accident to the police.
According to Force PRO, further police investigation indicated that Salem’s body, already identified by members of his family, was deposited at Wuse General Hospital.
He said that the police were, however, able to retrieve three identity cards and two Automated Teller Machine, ATM, cards of two commercial banks when the body was searched.
Related Posts
The identity cards included that of Vanguard, National Assembly and Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ.
Asked who deposited Tordue’s body and why the hospital didn’t contact the police at the time, Mba said he cannot speak for the hospital.
He, however, attributed that to some administrative negligence which he said was unfortunate.
Clement, on his part, said he thought the person he knocked down was an armed robber.
He said the person hurriedly crossed the road as if he was being chased by some people.
He said that the spot where the incident occurred was notably notorious.