It was earlier reported that Danjibga was abducted in his house in Samaru Community in the heart of Gusau, the Zamfara State capital last Sunday at about 8 pm.
According to his relatives, the abductors called 24 hours after the incident and allegedly demanded ₦1million as part payment before they’d placed a full ransom for his release. However, his corpse was found in a soakaway in the Samaru Community, three days later.
In a press statement on Thursday, the IPI legal adviser, Tobi Soniyi, described the circumstances surrounding the abduction and killing of the journalist as both shocking and deeply concerning, adding that the brazenness with which Danjibga was abducted and killed in a major city like Gusau is an indication of how unsafe Nigeria has become.
Soniyi said, “IPI Nigeria, therefore, reiterates its call for a swift and thorough investigation into the abduction and murder of Hamisu Danjibga to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. It also called for increased security measures to protect journalists and citizens in all parts of Nigeria.
“Hamisu Danjibga was one of the journalists reporting the activities of criminal elements, especially armed bandits, kidnappers and their collaborators. We believe he was targeted because of his profession as a journalist. Unless the perpetrators of this heinous crime are arrested and prosecuted, they are likely to become emboldened and will go after other journalists”.
The IPI further reiterated its call for the protection of journalists and other media professionals across Nigeria, whom it said, are strongly committed to upholding good governance and democracy by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, as well as freedom of expression in the country.