Bayo Ohu’s last days
•Friends recall asking him for loan
•Journalists killed in line of duty
By Vincent Ukpong Kalu and Chioma Igbokwe
Saturday, September 26, 2009

•Blessing, the late Bayo Ohu's daughter PHOTO: THE SUN PUBLISHING

Living index

The gruesome murder of Bayo Ohu, The Guardian Assistant News Editor has brought to focus the hazardous nature of journalism in the country and the call for comprehensive insurance coverage for journalists by media operators.
Ohu was in killed in his home at No. 9, Oyebiji Street, off Odukoya Estate, Akowonjo, Lagos by gunmen last Sunday.

At a press conference by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the union president, Mallam Mohammed Garba called for comprehensive insurance package for journalists. According to him, owners of media organisatons in the country should put in place comprehensive insurance policies for their members so that the families of bereaved journalists will not suffer so much after the demise of their family head or member.

As sympathizers thronged Ohu’s home to commiserate with the family, the last two children were seen playing about not concerned about the fate that befell the family.
Even though there is no clue yet from the police on the circumstances surrounding his death, the earlier position of the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State command, Superintendent of Police, Frank Mba that it was a case of armed robbers was immediately dismissed by the NUJ because of the manner the act was carried out. The gunmen shot him and certified that he was dead and left his of house with his phone set and a laptop when they were many handy valuables there.

Job of death
There is strong suspicion that his death is aimed at gagging the Nigerian media that are becoming more vibrant and vocal to the chagrin of the political class and the corporate world. The incident has been linked to a report on fraud in the Customs, which he was reportedly investigating. Ohu was reporting politics and unconfirmed source said he was in Ekiti State to cover the gubernatorial rerun election conducted in some of the council areas and was to be a witness in the ongoing election petition tribunal.
Another unconfirmed source had it that the assassins were sent to shut him up because he had vital information that would tarnish the image of a high profile citizen of Nigeria.

The discussions among his colleagues from various media houses on Wednesday centred on the need to tread the path of caution in carrying out their editorial responsibilities in a society that has no value for human life knowing that Ohu’s death must be traceable to his professional duties and that the family will bear the brunt of his demise as there might not be anything to fall back on especially in the absence of insurance coverage for media practitioners.

Harvest of deaths
Dele Giwa’s death by letter bomb on October 19, 1986 was a sign of what was to befall the pen profession. Since that incident and victory of the killers as the police refused or failed to nail them, the killers’ barrel has not turned away from the journalist in Nigeria. Ohu’s murder is reminiscent of the death of Godwin Agbroko, Chairman, Thisday Editorial Board on the eve of Christmas in 2006 at Iyanna Isolo, Lagos. Agbroko was returning from work when he was murdered in his car not far away from a police station by yet to be identified gunmen. His assailants did not take anything from his car. He died before rescue could come to him.

Abayomi Ogundeji was another journalist also of Thisday killed in cold blood on August 17, last year. His death has been surrounded by controversy as fingers pointed at the Nigerian Police. Even as the matter is in court, a principal witness was assassinated at her home in Sagamu.
In all these killings, the various Inspectors General of Police have promised to leave no stone unturned in arresting the culprits and at the end of the day, no stone has ever been turned.

When Agbroko was killed, the then IGP, Sunday Ehindero vowed he would smoke out the killers. He never did that until he retired from service. That was the same position Mike Okiro took when Abayomi was killed. Now Ogbonna Onovo has declared manhunt of the killers of Ohu, the nation is watching whether he would excel where his predecessors failed.

Ohu’s killers were said to have disguised as well-wishers and gained entrance into his home, shot and left with his laptop and phones.

On this matter, once again, the issue of police directives to hospitals not to treat gunshot wounds without the permission of the police has resonated.

Saturday Sun reliably learnt that Bayo did not die immediately. The family and neighbours rushed him to the hospital at the estate but the hospital refused to touch him insisting that the family should first get police report as they were not sure of the source of the wound. He was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he gave up the ghost before medical attention was given to him.

Defending itself, the police reportedly questioned the decision of hospitals for not attending to gunshot victims. The force insists that victims of gunshot should be treated and while the treatment is going on the hospital should call in the police if their suspicion is high as to the true identity and the cause of the wound.

Ohu was murdered in the presence of his children when his wife had gone to church. After accomplishing their mission, the staccato gunshots they released as they were escaping sent people on the street scampering for safety.

When Saturday Sun visited the home, staff of The Guardian were consoling Blessing, the wife of their fallen colleague. Blessing has remained inconsolable since she was called back from church service following the tragic death of her husband and has not uttered a word. After a session of prayers, visitors took turn to console the widow and her children. All attempts by the widow to talk were overtaken by tears and wailing. The eldest of the five children had maintained stoic silence. The last born is a baby of nine months.

Tony Okeregbe, a neighbour and the one who has been around coordinating events implored on all who came around to condole the family to remember that the widow of the late Bayo has enormous task ahead of her.

“After the burial of her husband, she would be faced with the task of taking care of the family all alone. He left five children. Bayo was the breadwinner of his family and extended family. He catered for all and now there is little or no source of help for the family except from friends and well-wishers. It now falls on friends of the family to remember to visit this widow and children and contribute to their well being. We have all prayed, remember that God will not send money from heaven but from individuals.”
Recalling his last days with Bayo, Bamiduro Fatuga, staff of The Guardian recalled that four days before this sad end, he had called on Bayo to assist him with some cash. I even told him to call his Abuja friends and raise money for him but he said he was content with his job and was not ready to compromise.

Steve, a journalist blamed poor remuneration on the part of media employers as the sole reason why journalists are treated with little or no respect. The only one that has the guts to stand for the truth will keep mute as nothing would outcome out of it if he opens up.

“Bayo was a seasoned journalist and had no reason to compromise. Journalists in Nigeria are the worst paid. Some are claiming that he wrote a story, which was considered offensive that was why they came after him. I know that is definitely the truth. Believe it or not, such thing would continue. People cry that journalists are bad, but they do not give them the conducive working environment. Bayo was a man that dedicated his life to the truth”

According to Chinwe Okoro, a journalist, the plundering of dictators that turned Nigeria to a fiefdom as the reason someone should decide death as the only means to silence a journalist.
“To be a crack journalist, you must definitely step on toes and a country like Nigeria where a common bill like Freedom of Information Bill is taking ages to be passed one has to be very careful. I do not blame those that compromise because no journalist can boast of having been insured. The question is, if you allow yourself to be butchered by these lawless people, is there anything left for your family, no insurance, no benefits. Nothing, then why die for nothing?”

Reports have it that over 138 journalists have met their untimely death in bizarre circumstances in recent times.

In 1983, Agwu Okpanku, a journalist with Daily Nation published by the late K. O. Mbadiwe was killed and his corpse dumped beside the railway track in Umuahia to create the impression that he was hit by a moving train. Accusing fingers were pointed at the then civilian government in power in the state. In 1990, Kress Imodibe of The Guardian and Tayo Awotusin of Champion Newspapers were massacred in Liberia by forces loyal to Charles Taylor when they went to report the Liberian internecine war. Their colleague from The Concord escaped death by the whiskers.
Bagauda Kalto of TheNews was taken from his hotel room at Durbar Hotel, Kaduna and killed during the oppressive regime of late General Sanni Abacha.
Chinedu Ofoaro of The Guardian was also killed between Owerri and Onitsha in Abacha days. Gunmen flagged down the commercial vehicle he was traveling in and singled him out. His corpse was not seen. His family petitioned the Oputa panel and attributed his death to agents of the state during the Abacha regime.

Vanguard Photo Editor, Tunji Oyeleru died in the same car with Chima Ubani of the CLO on their way from Maiduguri in protest over the increase in fuel prices. The Civil Liberty Organisation alleged it was state officials that killed them.
About three years ago, six journalists lost their lives in the convoy of Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel on their way from Abuja. Over seven journalists died in the convoy of former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye in 2007.