Condemnation has trailed the weekend arrest and detention of two journalists in Jos by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), an action that media groups say reflects an escalating assault on press freedom and democratic values in Nigeria.
The affected journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, who both work with Jay 101.9 FM, were reportedly arrested while covering the burial rites of the late mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos.
In a statement signed by the station’s Managing Director, Clinton Garuba, Jay FM described the arrest as “illegal, undemocratic, and unacceptable,” insisting it violated constitutional guarantees of press freedom, expression, and personal liberty.
“The freedom of the press is the lifeblood of democracy. When journalists are silenced, democracy dies in darkness,” the statement read.
According to the station, the journalists went missing during coverage of the funeral service, only for it to be later confirmed that they were in DSS custody. Despite initial resistance, sustained efforts by the management and legal representatives eventually secured their release.
Jay FM explained that the journalists were merely performing their professional duties when they documented a brief altercation between a cleric and security personnel at the church.
As professionals, our staff did what journalists are trained and ethically mandated to do: they documented an incident on video for public record and accountability,” the statement added.
The radio station condemned what it described as a “dangerous trend of intimidation and abuse of power against the media,” stressing that “the press is not an enemy of the state.”
Journalism is a public service profession. Our duty is to inform, educate, and hold power accountable, not to serve as mouthpieces of authority. To criminalize this duty is to criminalize truth itself,” Jay FM stated.
The management urged the DSS to act with civility and restraint, reminding the agency that Nigeria operates under a civilian democracy, not military rule. It warned that attempts to intimidate journalists send a chilling message that undermines democratic governance and fuels fear.
Reaffirming its resolve, the station vowed:
We will not be intimidated or silenced. Our commitment to truth, objectivity, and the democratic ideal remains unwavering.”
Jay FM also called on Nigerians, media organizations, and the international community to stand in solidarity with the press and demand respect for the rule of law and freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses recalled that security agents at the venue had earlier denied journalists and even some clerics access to the church. They also attempted to prevent COCIN President, Rev. Amos Mohzo, from entering without identification, prompting a brief uproar before the situation was resolved