The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute has demanded the immediate release of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism.
This was according to a statement jointly signed by the President, IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed and the Legal Adviser/Chair, Advocacy Committee, IPI Nigeria, Tobi Soniyi, on Saturday.
Ojukwu was abducted by the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti in Lagos.
While condemning his abduction and continued detention, IPI appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order Ojukwu’s immediate release.
The statement partly reads, “IPI NIGERIA strongly condemns the abduction and calls on the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, order the release of Mr Ojukwu.
“Coming at about the period the world is celebrating the freedom of the press, the action of the Nigeria Police Force speaks volumes of the attitude and commitment of law enforcement agencies in Nigeria to the freedom of the press.
“Some weeks ago, the Nigerian military abducted a journalist, Mr Segun Olatunji, in a Gestapo manner in Lagos and flew him to Abuja under humiliating conditions in apparent violation of his rights to dignity and expression.”
IPI noted that the abduction of journalists is becoming a pattern which will not be accepted. It described Ojukwu’s abduction as “Abuse of power.”
“With the two incidents cited above, a pattern has emerged that points to the fact that the administration of President Bola Tinubu does not only condone repression of freedom of the press but also encourage it, in contradiction of promises made during the president’s inaugural speech that his administration would uphold fundamental human rights.
“We have always stated, and it bears repeating that in a democratic setting, the proper step to take is to follow due process in seeking remedies against journalists.
“It amounts to an abuse of his powers and office for the Inspector General of Police to order the abduction of a journalist just because he is the overall head of the Nigeria Police Force”, the statement added.
The institute called on President Bola Tinubu to sanction the IGP for encouraging human rights violations and failing to lead by example.
“IPI Nigeria calls on President Tinubu to sanction the Inspector General of the Police, having failed to lead by example. Nobody is above the law.
“Human rights violations have continued unabated because perpetrators are hardly held to account. It is time to begin holding those suppressing freedom of expression to account.
“Daniel Ojukwu should be released immediately, else the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, will be included in IPI Nigeria’s book of infamy and branded an enemy of the media and journalists. His inclusion on the list carries serious consequences beyond the shores of Nigeria”, the statement concluded.
It could be recalled that gunmen later identified to be operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency abducted the editor of FirstNews newspaper, Segun Olatunji, from his home in Lagos State.
Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The PUNCH, was abducted on Friday, March 15, 2024, from his home in the Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of the state.
The management of the online newspaper linked the action to a recent story published by FirstNews titled, “Revealed: “Defence Chief running an office like a family business – Public Interest Lawyers”, published by many other online platforms.
He was later released on March 28, 2024, to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja after sustained pressure from the media.
[THEPUNCH]
