…reacting to the incident, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, condemned the conduct of the officers involved.
OSUN, NIGERIA- The iNews Times| The International Press Centre (IPC), through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub, has condemned the arrest and detention of the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Olalekan Akindoju, by police officers in Osogbo.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Akinjiyan, the organisation described the incident as unlawful and called on the Nigeria Police Force to apologise to the journalist and investigate the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
According to IPC, Akindoju was arrested at his residence in Osogbo on Thursday, June 11, after police operatives reportedly arrived at his home in the early hours of the day.
Speaking during a telephone conversation with the Press Freedom Officer of the IPC-SPJ Hub, Akindoju said the incident occurred at about 6 a.m.
“They invaded my residence around 6 a.m., arrested me and seized my phone without any valid explanation. All attempts to identify myself as a journalist failed, as they refused to listen to me or allow me contact anyone,” he said.
Akindoju further disclosed that he was detained for nearly five hours before regaining his freedom following interventions by colleagues and the NUJ.
“I was detained for almost five hours before I was released after the intervention of colleagues and the NUJ. The police claimed it was a case of mistaken identity,” he added.
Reacting to the incident, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, condemned the conduct of the officers involved and urged security agencies to exercise greater caution when carrying out arrests, particularly those involving journalists.
“This incident is highly condemnable, and the police must do due diligence in gathering intelligence and information before initiating arrests, especially as it pertains to journalists,” Arogundade said.
The SPJ Hub reiterated the need to protect press freedom and safeguard journalists from harassment, intimidation and unlawful arrests.
It also called on the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Gotan, to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and take appropriate action against any officers found culpable.
The organisation urged police authorities to uphold the rights of journalists and guarantee an environment that enables media practitioners to perform their duties without fear of intimidation or unlawful interference.
