The Department of State Services (DSS) has released two journalists working with Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, who were arrested while covering the funeral of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, the late mother of the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe.
The journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, were earlier reported missing after attending the funeral service held at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
According to Jay FM, the reporters were detained by the DSS over a video posted on the station’s social media handles showing a confrontation between a cleric and security agents at the event.
The management of Jay FM confirmed that after hours of uncertainty, the duo were located at the DSS office in Jos and have since regained their freedom.
“Upon confirming that the DSS was holding them, frantic efforts were made to secure their release. Although our efforts were initially rebuffed, they were eventually released,” the management said.
In a statement signed by the Managing Director, Comrade Clinton Garuba, Jay FM condemned the arrest, describing it as illegal and undemocratic.
“This event has once again prompted us to draw attention to the disturbing issues of press freedom violations, human rights abuses, and the erosion of the rule of law by security agencies,” the statement read.
The management insisted that its staff were only carrying out their professional duties, noting that they “did what journalists are trained and ethically mandated to do — document incidents for public record and accountability.”
Jay FM called on the DSS to respect press freedom and act within the law, stressing that “the press is not an enemy of the state.”
It further urged security agencies to operate with civility, saying, “We remind the agency that this nation is under civilian rule, not military dictatorship. Security agencies exist to protect citizens, not to intimidate or abduct them.”
The station reaffirmed its commitment to truth and objectivity, vowing not to be intimidated or silenced.
“To those who wield power, we remind you that the freedom of the press is the lifeblood of democracy. When journalists are silenced, democracy dies in darkness,” the statement added.
