Nigeria: News Director Priestba Nwockocha Abducted at Gunpoint
The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges police to arrest those responsible
Location: Nigeria, Port Harcourt
Date: July 21, 2023
Armed group kidnaps news director Priestba Nwockocha in front of her husband and orders her family to pay ransom for her release. After a week, the journalist was freed and returned home. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned by the frequency of abductions of women journalists in Nigeria. We urge police to deploy all available resources to ensure press safety.
On July 21, journalist Priest Nwockocha was returning home from work when her car broke down on the Slaughter/YKC route in Port Harcourt. The news director for Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Rivers) called her husband for help. He soon arrived to repair the vehicle along with a mechanic.
Around 8 pm, while her husband and mechanic were working on the car, a group stopped and, at gunpoint, forced Nwockocha to come with them.
“They just picked her and left; they didn’t pick her husband or hurt him,” a family member told the Idoma Voice.
The next day, Nwockocha’s husband says the kidnappers contacted him, telling him to pay N150 million (over $190,000) for wife’s release. Later, the ransom demand was later lowered to N10 million (over $12,800).
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) strongly condemned the alleged kidnapping. They described it as inhuman, wicked, and insensitive, especially considering that Nwokocha is a journalist working to improve society.
In response, the Commissioner of Police ordered a manhunt for her abductors. The CP has instructed all tactical teams of the command to ensure her safe return and reunite her with her family.
On July 27, after almost a week, Nwockocha was freed and returned home. It is unclear whether a ransom was paid for her release.
Abduction of Journalists in Nigeria
Unfortunately, several journalists in Nigeria have been abducted in recent years. In 2021, CFWIJ documented the abductions of two women journalists, Chidiebere Onyia and Amra Ahmed Diska.
The kidnapping of reporter Chidiebere Onyia also occurred in the area of Port Harcourt. The journalist was abducted at gunpoint but, following mounting public pressure, was abandoned by her kidnappers and reunited with her family five days later. In May 2021, Amra Ahmed Diska - news editor at Adamawa Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) — was abducted from her home leaving her six-month-old baby alone. She was released after seven days, following the payment of a ransom to her kidnappers.
In March 2023, police rescued journalist Seun Oduneye from his kidnappers after a gun battle. The abductors had demanded a ransom from the journalist’s wife. In 2022, two journalists for Enugu State Broadcasting Services were attacked and briefly abducted when covering local elections in Enugu.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is pleased that Priestba Nwokocha was freed from captivity and applauds the police for acting swiftly by launching a manhunt. However, the frequency of abductions of journalists in the country is alarming. Kidnappers must be brought to justice. We urge police and prosecutors to identify and arrest those responsible for Nwockocha’s abduction.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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