.....Guild of Editors mourns
 
AS condemnations and outrage continue to trail the murder on Sunday morning of The Guardian's Bayo Ohu, the Nigeria Police High Command has vowed to fish out his killers.

Indeed, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State chapter, has declared that it was a clear case of assassination and that the police should not treat it as robbery.

Meanwhile, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, sent in his condolences yesterday, expressing his deep sadness over the killing.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ogbonna Onovo, who spoke through the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, lamented the killing and vowed to fish out the criminals.

"The Nigeria Police Force regrets the death of our journalist friend, Bayo Ohu, particularly the violent way his life was cut short. We commiserate with the family and loved ones on the demise of this promising Nigerian. The IGP, Ogbonna Onovo, hereby restates the resolve of the Police to fish out the killers and bring them to justice," the statement said.

The Lagos State Police Command has meanwhile swung into action.

Although the Police may have blamed the first hospital that the journalist was rushed to for not taking action to revive the victim who was still breathing at the time, the police said there are no laws barring the hospital to take such action.

"There is no law whatsoever that bars medical practitioners from treating victims of gunshot wounds. The whole essence of the medical profession is to save life, and no law whatsoever would legislate that out of existence. But laws can regulate their practice. What is required from medical practitioners administratively and legally is that as soon as they commence the treatment of a victim of gunshot wounds, they should reach out to the Police as soon as possible. There is no law that says 'don't treat', because that is their calling. There is no law that says 'don't admit', what we require from them is take the victim in, treat. As you are treating, get across to the Police. The GSM revolution has even made it much easier, you don't even need to drive out of the hospital to call Police. Within the confines of the theatre, you can put a call to the Police while treating your victim. There is no law that says you should call us immediately you start treating victim of gunshot wounds. In complicated cases like the case of Bayo, where the victim even had multiple gunshot wounds, where you know that even in the next 24 hours, the victim might not even be able to stand on his feet, even if they report 12 hours later, nobody is going to blame you. So, you can commence treatment and stabilise him," said Lagos State police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, yesterday.

Mba added: "It could be you, it could be myself tomorrow, it could be any of us, it could even be the director of that hospital tomorrow, and if any of us happens to be a victim of gunshot wounds and a good Samaritan rushes us to the hospital, we are saying that the doctors should treat and get back to the Police later. Perhaps Bayo could have been alive if he was treated..."

According to him, the Police have begun investigations into the matter. "It is a matter that is very dear to our heart. The Commissioner of Police has given a clear cut directives to the investigators and the directive is to go all out and ensure that the riddle, the mystery surrounding the death of the journalist is solved as soon as possible... As I speak to you right now, detectives from the homicide section have been at the area combing the area and interviewing eye-witnesses..."

However, the police spokesman warned: "I want to sound a note of caution here. Any homicidal crime usually takes time. Every killer knows the consequences of killing, so killers go extra mile to cover their tracks. Investigations of this nature are usually elaborate, very discrete, very comprehensive, so it is not something that has a time line. But as much as possible, we would do everything possible to ensure that we are able to, and in time, come up with the result in the case of Bayo," he added.

Also yesterday, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State chapter called on the police to expose persons behind Ohu's murder, because according to the union, the incident was a pure case of assassination, and not robbery.

A team of officials of the NUJ, Lagos State chapter led by the chairman, Mr. Wahab Oba and General Secretary, Mr. Biodun Akinbusuyi and Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin who joined other sympathizers to pay a condolence visit to The Guardian said the union would ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet by security agencies.

Speaking during their visit to The Rutam House , home of The Guardian, the NUJ said: "The NUJ is convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the assassination of Bayo Ohu cannot be taken as another robbery incident. As far as we are concerned it is a murder case and we want to urge the Presidency to go deep into the case and that is our conviction for now, we will not take it from anybody to say that it is not a murder case. What we expect the police to do is to liaise with every stakeholder in the industry to unravel this killing. The NUJ is also prepared to and ready to collaborate with the agencies to make sure that we get to the root of this killing. With the unfortunate death of Gani Fawehinmi, nobody is sure if the killers of Dele Giwa would ever be found again. Agbroko and Abayomi of Thisday were victims."

He added: "Where do we go to, how can Nigeria move forward where some people feel that this country must always go their own way, they must always have their own way and they must always assassinate those they think constitute stumbling blocks? How can an innocent journalist without guns, without matchet but just his pen doing his own patriotic job fall victim of this? Our position for now is that he was murdered. We are addressing a press conference tomorrow and we will convey our positions on this killing. We also urge The Guardian family to assist the family of our colleague. He had a wife and five children. Accept our condolences, we would continue to pray for his family and The Guardian family."

A prayer section which was led by one of the officials, Jemi Kunbo was then organised in the office.

Responding, the Editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief Mr. Debo Adesina thanked the NUJ team for the kind words, saying the death of Ohu was very devastating, considering the kind of cordial and working relationship all had with him.

His words: "I appreciate your coming. It is a bit difficult for me because we have lost a friend and brother and it could have happened to anybody."

For Adesina, it is a challenge to everybody to work hard to unravel Ohu's killers and ensure that he did not die in vain.

Adesina therefore joined all well-meaning Nigerians to call on the police to get to the root of the killing, adding that someday the truth must come out.

Extolling the virtues of late journalist, he said: "He did a good job." He promised that the company would do everything to assist the family.

Other persons who visited The Guardian yesterday included the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Gbenga Adefaye and the Executive Director of The Punch Newspapers, Azu Ishiekeme.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors has expressed deep sadness over Sunday's brutal murder of The Guardian's Assistant Political Editor, Mr. Bayo Ohu.

NGE's President, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, who was accompanied on a condolence visit to The Rutam House, headquarters of The Guardian yesterday by the Guild's Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said that the brutal murder of the frontline journalist was sad, callous and uncalled for.

"The Guild views this senseless murder of a brilliant and an easy-going journalist as a sad development in the country at a time that Nigeria is rebranding and about to celebrate its 49th year as a sovereign nation.

"We hope that this sad development is not a throw-back to the terrible era in Nigeria when journalists were being hounded or the days in Asia and Latin America when journalists were being killed for writing the truth."

Adefaye said the NGE would urge the police, especially the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, not to jump into conclusion over the motive why Ohu was killed.

"We simply think it is premature for the police to conclude that the incident was a case of armed robbery. We do not think that is a statement backed by fact and investigation. The police ought to learn from the case of the former member of the Editorial Board of ThisDay, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji,, who was killed on August 17, 2008, but the circumstances of which is still shrouded in mystery."

The NGE President added that Ohu's murder has sent a wrong signal to the Nigerian media and the international community on the freedom of speech in Nigeria and the state of insecurity in the land.

"This is a case that must not be allowed to be swept under the carpet," Adefaye stated.