From Dan Maduagwu,
Umuahia
Abia State Chapter of Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN) has petitioned the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbede over an alleged threat to the life of their female member, Nneka Torti by one Okoronkwo Chidi, a Facebook user.
The association in a petition addressed to the Police Commissioner, Agbede and copied to the Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State, as well as Liberty International, Abia State, drew the attention of the general public to the threat to the life of their member, Nneka who is the publisher of News Leverage, an online publication.
The petition dated 30th January, 2020 and signed by the State Chairman and Secretary, Ugochukwu Nwankwo and Izuchukwu Nwokoma respectively, alleged that the Facebook user, Okoronkwo Chidi had been threatening the life of Nneka Torti because of a report she published concerning some murder incidents at Achara, Ihechiowa clan of Arochukwu LGA, in first week of January.
The OMPAN members who condemned the threat the ugly development, called on the State Police Command to investigate the matter, demanding that the issue should not be swept under the carpet, while lamenting that many online publishers are being subjected to incessant harassment on daily basis for discharging their responsibility to the society.
They also called on the Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Abia State council, Comrade John Emejor and leadership of Liberty International to come to their members rescue in the face of alleged continued harassment.
The petitioners said that they may be opting for a legal redress if the said Okoronkwo Chidi does not apologise for his alleged threat on their member’s life.