REPORT: Olatunji Resigns as Editor after FirstNews Apology to Gbajabiamila

Segun Olatunji has resigned as FirstNews Editor following an apology from management to Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

As reported by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on Wednesday, Olatunji’s decision to step down was driven by personal factors. He cited the importance of his safety and family’s, expressing confidence that the truth would eventually come to light.

I didn’t apologise, but FirstNews did, he said, standing by his story linking Gbajabiamila to Corruption.

To recall, Olatunji published a report about financial malfeasance worth $30 billion in the Office of the Chief of Staff, which led to his abduction in March and was later released weeks later.

FirstNews management has since apologised to Gbajabiamila for the story that led its now-former Editor to an underground cell in Abuja, stating the story contained “falsehoods and fabricated stories handed out to us as facts by a misleading source which was highly negligent on our part and for which we deeply tender an unreserved apology to the Chief of Staff to the President”.

This move caused Olatunji to tender his resignation letter as Editor with FirstNews. Olatunji also decried the one-year outstanding salary FirstNews owes him.

Olatunji’s complete statement, as reported by FIJ

“In view of the latest development regarding the Gbajabiamila story and the stance of the company’s Management, I hereby tender my resignation as the General Editor of First News,” he said.

“It has become imperative for me to resign my appointment for the safety of my person and my family. However, I want to state that in no distant time, the truth will come out and then it’ll be my word against theirs.

“I hope the Management of First Media Network Limited, publishers of First News newspaper, will be magnanimous enough to fully settle the one-year outstanding salaries I am being owed in no time.

“I thank the company’s management for giving me the opportunity to contribute my quota to its operations in the past four years.”

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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