Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
Bayelsa News Blogger and owner of the TrackNews Media, Ogidi Ben Bara has raised an alarm over threats to his life and that of his family by some unknown persons following the publication of a report bothering the status of the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress(APC) Great Joshua Machiver.
According to Ogidi Ben Bara, despite the several attempts and publication of retraction over the publication, there have been secret visits to his place of residence by suspicious men in unmarked cars and illegal monitoring of his movements in the state capital.
Ogidi Ben Bara, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Track News Media, in a statement yesterday stated that though the company had admitted error and apologize to the individuals involved in the report, “there are signs that they have refused to stop traumatizing him and his families. And I have abandoned my home for safety.”
In the statement signed by Bara, “We sadly wish to inform the general public that great Joshua Machiver was not actually convicted of murder, the editor of the publication made a flip. In the publication, he was arrested for sea piracy and terrorism and was sentenced to Ten years imprisonment by a Kaduna High Court.”
“So, therefore , this is to make amend on the information on the former publication on the subject matter. Joshua Machiver was convicted for sea piracy and terrorism and not murder. Documents available to Tracknews Media Limited states that Joshua Machiver did not serve the jail term issued him by the Kaduna High Court.”
“Let this press release serve the purpose for which it is intended. This should also make amend on the personality of the affected individual. The publication has been re-edited to exclude murder from the publication and the actual crime of sea piracy and terrorism has been added thereof. As a media firm and journalist, we owe the society a duty to give accurate, balanced reportage that will inform and educate the society. Track News Media apologizes for any inconveniences that this may have caused.”