The Commitee for the Protection of Journalists CPJ, has asked the Nigerian government to find kidnapped newspaper columnist, Donu Kogbara.
The Committee also wants government to establish a motive for the abduction, and apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators.
“We condemn the kidnapping of Vanguard columnist Donu Kogbara and call on Nigerian authorities to launch an immediate and efficient investigation,” said Peter Nkanga, CPJ’s West Africa representative.
Unidentified gunmen entered Ms. Kogbara’s home in Port Harcourt city, capital of Rivers state, captured the journalist, and drove her away in a jeep, according to news reports.
The journalist’s family was at home during the abduction, news reports said.
Jimitota Onoyume, Vanguard’s bureau chief in Rivers State, told CPJ that witnesses said two of the assailants entered the house while four others waited outside.
Ms. Kogbara has not been seen nor heard from since, news reports said.
Ahmed Muhammad, a police spokesman for Rivers state, told CPJ that police had launched an investigation into Ms. Kogbara’s abduction.
Ms. Kogbara has worked for the independent Vanguard newspaper for around 30 years, Gbenga Adefaye, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, told CPJ.
He said that Ms. Kogbara wrote a column on politics and that he was unaware if she had received threats in connection with her work.
Ms. Kogbara has also worked for the BBC, Channel 4, and the Sunday Times, among other outlets, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Ms. Kogbara’s columns have often been criticized by readers for her strong opinions, CPJ found.
In an August 21, 2015, article, Ms. Kogbara wrote about a change in rules governing foreign exchange transfers, which she said would negatively impact those with modest incomes.