The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has commended the leadership of the Department of State Services, DSS, for the prompt release of two journalists arrested at the funeral service of the late mother of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda in Jos on Saturday.
The journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, both reporters with a radio station were covering President Tinubu’s visit to Jos for the funeral of Nana Lydia Yilwatda Goshwe, who died in August 2025 at age 83.
The funeral service, held at a church in Jos, was attended by several high-ranking government officials including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi has welcomed what he described as “a positive and commendable shift in the culture of our security institutions.”
“The willingness of the DSS leadership to admit errors, apologise where necessary, and commit to reforms is an important step in strengthening public trust and confidence in the agency,” Abdullahi stated in a press statement.
The union leader praised Ajayi’s “decisive intervention” and his directive to DSS operatives to conduct thorough investigations before making arrests, calling it a reflection of positive change within the security apparatus.
The arrest occurred after the journalists posted video footage of what sources described as a confrontation between religious and security officials during the ceremony. The specific nature of the confrontation has not been publicly detailed.
In an unusual move that signals a potential shift in the security agency’s approach to media relations, DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi personally intervened to secure the journalists’ release and issued a formal apology to the NUJ.
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According to security sources, Ajayi immediately ordered the release of the journalists upon learning of their arrest and contacted NUJ National President Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi to convey his apologies directly.
“The Director-General, on learning that some overzealous operatives had arrested the journalists, ordered their immediate release and contacted the NUJ National President to convey his apologies,” a security source told reporters.
The DSS leadership has also opened an internal investigation into the incident and assured that officers found responsible would face disciplinary action.
Security sources noted that the apology and swift action represent part of a broader pattern of reform under Ajayi’s leadership of the DSS. The agency has previously apologized to media organizations, including TVC management over alleged harassment of one of its reporters.
“The new DG is correcting the wrongs he inherited. One of them is overzealousness. This is why he has not failed to admit when the Service makes mistakes,” a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The source added that Ajayi “is an absolute lover of human rights and press freedom,” and emphasized the agency’s commitment to addressing what he described as “inherited issues of overreach by operatives.”
The incident and its resolution come amid ongoing concerns about press freedom in Nigeria, where journalists have frequently faced harassment, arrest, and detention while performing their professional duties.
The NUJ has called on the DSS and other security agencies to institutionalize accountability by sanctioning officers whose actions undermine democratic values and constitutional rights.
“Press freedom is the bedrock of democracy, and journalists must never be treated as adversaries for performing their constitutional duties,” Abdullahi emphasized in the union’s statement.
The organization also urged its members across the country to “remain vigilant, courageous, and professional in the discharge of their duties.”
While commending the positive development, the NUJ has called for sustained commitment to this new approach from the DSS leadership. The union stressed the importance of “constructive engagement with security institutions to strengthen mutual understanding, promote professionalism, and safeguard both press freedom and national security.”
The swift resolution of this incident, coupled with the DSS leadership’s public acknowledgment of wrongdoing and commitment to reforms, represents a potentially significant development in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to balance security concerns with fundamental press freedoms.
Crediblenewsng.com
