The Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, has resigned hours after the publication apologised to the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Olatunji, who spent 14 days in the custody of Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja for a report on Gbajabiamila, said he resigned for his safety and that of the family.
The report titled: “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30bn, 66 houses traced to Sabiu” was written by Olatunji.
First News’ apology came days after Mr Gbajabiamila’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, wrote the outlet demanding apology over the defamatory publication against his client.
The First News Management, in a statement on Wednesday, May 8, said it had discovered the said story contained “falsehoods and fabricated stories handed out to us as facts by a misleading source which was highly negligent on our part and for which we deeply tender an unreserved apology to the Chief of Staff to the President.”
Hinting that he was unhappy about the apology, he hoped that the truth would come out soonest on what transpired over the report.
His resignation letter reads: ”In view of the latest development regarding the Gbajabiamila story and the stance of the company’s Management, I hereby tender my resignation as the General Editor of First News.
”It has become imperative for me to resign my appointment for the safety of my person and my family.
”However, I want to state that in no distant time, the truth will come out and then it’ll be my word against theirs.
”I hope the Management of First Media Network Limited, publishers of First News newspaper, will be magnanimous enough to fully settle the one year outstanding salaries I am being owed, in no time.
”I thank the company’s management for giving me the opportunity to contribute my quota to its operations in the past four years.”
As a fallout of the article against Mr Gbajabiamila, Mr Olatunji said he was seized from his home in Lagos on 15 March and flown to Abuja by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Mr Olatunji was detained for 14 days. He was only released following persistent demands by the International Press Institute (IPI), the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and other civil society groups.
His arrest and manhandling drew outrage within the human rights community in Nigeria.
In the defamatory article, Mr Gbajabiamila was portrayed as re-looting funds and landed properties allegedly recovered from Tunde Sabiu, an aide and relative to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
First News says it has now determined that the claims about the Chief of Staff were fabricated.
