Concerns Raised Over DSS Invasion of Journalist’s Home

OrderPaper, a news platform that covers Nigeria’s National Assembly, has condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) for invading the residence of one of its employees, Edna Ulaeto, leading to her arrest.

In a statement released on Friday, the publication detailed how DSS operatives forcibly removed Ulaeto from her home without revealing its exact location.

Whether or not Ulaeto is employed as a reporter remains uncertain, but OrderPaper suspects the incident might be tied to a recent article regarding a purported DSS intrusion aimed at derailing the impeachment of the Senate President.

On October 18, 2024, armed individuals claiming to represent the DSS reportedly stormed Ulaeto’s home, taking her away without providing any reasons. According to OrderPaper, she was taken in her night attire and treated roughly, causing distress to her family and neighbors.

Shockingly, it seems her phone was illegally tracked, a tactic typically reserved for serious criminals, not journalists.

“OrderPaper believes this abduction is connected to a piece that mistakenly reported on a DSS operation related to the Senate President’s impeachment attempt. Despite a quick retraction and public apology, masked men entered her home, searched it, and traumatized her family.”

Eyewitnesses attempting to intervene or document the situation faced intimidation, with some coerced into deleting any recorded evidence under the threat of arrest.

“The absence of any official statement from the DSS or law enforcement raises significant concerns about the legitimacy of this action,” the publication highlighted.

Since her abduction, Ulaeto has been unreachable, intensifying fears for her safety.

This alarming development has created a climate of anxiety among OrderPaper’s staff, who are now apprehensive about future repercussions.

The publication has called on the public, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the international community to advocate for Ulaeto’s swift release and wellbeing.

They urge everyone to denounce this illegal attack on press freedom and fundamental human rights before the situation escalates any further.

This incident follows the arrest of an Urban FM presenter in Enugu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). While the radio station claimed EFCC officials disrupted a live broadcast, the agency refuted wrongdoing, asserting that the presenter was arrested for avoiding questions regarding her links to a Ponzi scheme that defrauded various Nigerians.