Biafra did not start with Buhari. Obasanjo terrorised my wife and children with DSS over Biafra - News Express publisher narrates how the DSS detained him illegally for writing about Biafra

Biafra did not start with Buhari. Obasanjo terrorised my wife and children with DSS over Biafra - News Express publisher narrates how the DSS detained him illegally for writing about Biafra

News Express Publisher, Isaac Umunna has narrated how his family - wife and young children, were terrorised by the men of the Nigerian secret police, the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS). Umunna who was subsequently arrested and detained was among important personalities featured in the September 9, 2016 edition of Today in Nigeria’s History, a popular programme on a YouTube Channel of the same name.

An international award-winning journalist, Umunna was featured to mark the anniversary of his detention, from September 9, 2004, by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the watch of then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. His wife had first been arrested after his office in the Oregun Ikeja area of Lagos was stormed by armed DSS operatives, who terrorised his staff, wide and young children, who were on holiday and accompanied their mother to the office. Umunna voluntarily turned himself.

Umunna was the longest detained journalist during the Obasanjo era. He was detained in connection with his journalism work.

Umunna was first detained at the Shangisha Lagos Office of the Department of State Services (DSS), before being moved to the Yellow House (the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja). Following relentless pressure by the media, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, rights activists and the New York, USA-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) he was eventually released without charge, put on a plane by the DSS back to Lagos. At Lagos Airport, Umunna was warmly received by DSS officials and driven back to his home in Oregun, Ikeja.

Reflecting on his ordeal, Umunna said: “Obasanjo and his government were panicking over nothing. They believed that I had insider information about the Biafra agitation, which was not true, as I was just doing my work, using my contacts to authoritatively report the agitation. It is akin to what is happening now – with the Army arresting a particular journalist believed to be working with Boko Haram when the guy is simply doing his professional work.”