Reporter receives death threats from church members, asks security service for protec

[Michael]

Reporter receives death threats from church members, asks security service for protection



Country/Topic: Nigeria
Date: 03 October 2008
Source: Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Person(s): Ibiene Rowland Ogundu
Target(s): journalist(s)
Type(s) of violation(s): death threat
Urgency: Flash
(MRA/IFEX) - Mrs. Ibiene Rowland Ogundu, a reporter and programme presenter with Rivers State Television (RSTV) in Port Harcourt, South-South Nigeria, on 2 October 2008 petitioned the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria's intelligence agency, in Port Harcourt over threats to her life from the presiding pastor and members of a Port Harcourt-based church, Salvation Ministries (aka Home of Success). The threats followed a documentary she made entitled "Prosperity, Right Here, Right Now".


The documentary, aired on RSTV at 10:00 p.m. (local time) on 27 September, looked at churches that preach instant prosperity. In the documentary, she used clips from a service of Salvation Ministries.

The church's presiding pastor, David Ibiyeomie, reportedly placed a curse on her and asked members of the church to also curse her and her family. Thereafter she began to receive text messages on her mobile phone, some threatening her and her family with death and others cursing her and her family for making a documentary that "cast aspersion on Salvation Ministries."

According to Mrs. Ogundu, on 28 September from about 7:30 p.m., "I began receiving death threat messages from those who say they are loyalists and members of Salvation Ministries. Some of these members informed me through phone calls how their pastor had stood on the pulpit that morning and issued death threats and also mandated his members to join force with him to put an end to my life in what he describes as the misrepresentation of the church to the public."

"The calls have not ceased as I have received over two thousand calls and countless text [SMS] messages that I have lost count of. The number and manner of these threats have become increasingly sickening and desperate. The threats are centred on my life and that of my family," she disclosed.

She therefore urged law enforcement agencies in the state to step into the matter as she was feeling very threatened.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:
- calling for an investigation into Pastor David Ibiyeomie's death threats and incitement of his congregation, as well as the threats sent through SMS
- demanding that Pastor David Ibiyeomie be made to sign an undertaking that nothing will happen to Mrs. Ibiene Rowland Ogundu and, if anything does, that be held responsible
- asking that the police and other security agencies provide security for her and her family


APPEALS TO:
Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi
The Executive Governor of Rivers State
Government House
Port Harcourt
Rivers State, Nigeria
E-mail: gov@riversstatenigeria.net, govthouse@riversstatenigeria.net


Mr. Mike Okiro
Inspector General of Police
Force Headquarters
Loius Edet House
Shehu Shagari Way
Area 11 Garki, Abuja
Tel: 234-9-2340633, 2340422
Fax: 234-9-2340422
E-mail: fpro@nigeriapolice.org


Please copy appeals to the source if possible.


MORE INFORMATION:



For further information, contact Ayode Longe, Media Rights Agenda, 10 Agboola Aina Street, off Amore Street, Ikeja, P.O. Box 52113, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, tel: +234 1 493 6033, fax: +234 1 493 0831, e-mail: ayode@mediarightsagenda.org, Internet: Media Rights Agenda ...Promoting and Protecting Press Freedom And Freedom of Expression In Nigeria