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The two Premium Times staff who were arrested but later released on Thursday night by the Nigerian Police, have returned to the Abuja force headquarters early on Friday.
We reported on Thursday that the head office of popular Nigerian online news platform, Premium Times, was raided by officers of the Nigerian Police, as the publisher and a journalist were arrested and later released on bail after several hours by the security operatives.
According to a new report by the news organisation, their arrested the publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, and judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu, has returned to the Abuja headquarters of the Police force early Friday, amid widespread outrage that followed the raid at their office.
A highly-placed police source said the invitation could be a ploy to detain the journalists longer, adding that there were chances the two could be taken before a Magistrate’s Court.
“From what I understand, if they report tomorrow morning, they will be taken to a Magistrate’s Court and arraigned before a judge that will readily comply with the police arrangement and grant order for them to be detained. That way, they can then claim to be detaining them legally,” the source said.
Speaking to a correspondent, Police spokesman, Don Awunah, said the raid and the arrests were carried out following complaints filed by lawyers for the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
The raid has sparked international condemnation, with the Amnesty International promising to launch an investigation into the motive behind it.
United State-based Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Nigerian authorities to drop all planned charges against the journalists and to desist from further attempts to intimidate the media.
“Arresting and charging publisher Dapo Olorunyomi and reporter Evelyn Okakwu is a transparent ploy to intimidate and silence Premium Times’ staff for their critical reporting,” CPJ West Africa Representative Peter Nkanga said.
Nigerians have also condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate the paper.
A letter sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, signed by Kadaria Ahmed, and other eminent Nigerian columnists, including Pius Adesanmi, Okey Ndibe, and Sonala Olumhense also condemned the raid.
“We expect the security services, who after all are the custodians of our laws, to lead by example by respecting these laws,” said the letter.
“Instead, what we see is a disturbing trend that suggests not just an attempt to criminalise the important work that journalists in Nigeria do, but also a drive to frighten and cower and stop this critical constitutionally mandated work through the aggressive use of the state security apparatus. We view this as an abuse of office.”
Public Outrage as Premium Times Journalists Return to Police Station after arrests as new details emerge
We reported on Thursday that the head office of popular Nigerian online news platform, Premium Times, was raided by officers of the Nigerian Police, as the publisher and a journalist were arrested and later released on bail after several hours by the security operatives.
According to a new report by the news organisation, their arrested the publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, and judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu, has returned to the Abuja headquarters of the Police force early Friday, amid widespread outrage that followed the raid at their office.
A highly-placed police source said the invitation could be a ploy to detain the journalists longer, adding that there were chances the two could be taken before a Magistrate’s Court.
“From what I understand, if they report tomorrow morning, they will be taken to a Magistrate’s Court and arraigned before a judge that will readily comply with the police arrangement and grant order for them to be detained. That way, they can then claim to be detaining them legally,” the source said.
Speaking to a correspondent, Police spokesman, Don Awunah, said the raid and the arrests were carried out following complaints filed by lawyers for the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
The raid has sparked international condemnation, with the Amnesty International promising to launch an investigation into the motive behind it.
United State-based Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Nigerian authorities to drop all planned charges against the journalists and to desist from further attempts to intimidate the media.
“Arresting and charging publisher Dapo Olorunyomi and reporter Evelyn Okakwu is a transparent ploy to intimidate and silence Premium Times’ staff for their critical reporting,” CPJ West Africa Representative Peter Nkanga said.
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| Evelyn Okakwu and Dapo Olorunyomi after being released by the Nigerian Police Force |
Nigerians have also condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate the paper.
A letter sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, signed by Kadaria Ahmed, and other eminent Nigerian columnists, including Pius Adesanmi, Okey Ndibe, and Sonala Olumhense also condemned the raid.
“We expect the security services, who after all are the custodians of our laws, to lead by example by respecting these laws,” said the letter.
“Instead, what we see is a disturbing trend that suggests not just an attempt to criminalise the important work that journalists in Nigeria do, but also a drive to frighten and cower and stop this critical constitutionally mandated work through the aggressive use of the state security apparatus. We view this as an abuse of office.”
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