- IGP promises to address the matter
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Accountability Lab, Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), an 23 civil society organisations, yesterday in Abuja, picketed Police Force Headquarters, protesting against illegal detention of a journalist, Daniel Ojukwu.
Accountability Lab Country Director, Friday Odeh, said it was barbaric for security agencies to blatantly flout the law and arrest journalist indiscriminately.
He said: “We are here to demand the freedom of Daniel Ojukwu who was unlawfully and unjustly arrested for the past 8 days and he is in detention.
“It is a guaranteed fundamental human R
right that should not be abused. Secondly we are looking at the transparency and accountability of media platforms in the Nigerian space.
“We cannot have citizens who speak through to power and their safety is not guaranteed. If you demand accountability it seems that your safety is not guaranteed.
“Daniel Ojukwu had produced a report which was on the open gulf fellowship which looked at the N147 million which was given to a contractor to build schools in Lagos State and when he investigated that project it was nowhere to be found.
“Questions have been asked from the Special Adviser to the President on SDGs that led the project. Secondly, we also found out that the project had been assigned to a restaurant.
“So, these are problems we have had with our procurement system.”
Also, HURIWA’s Emmanuel Onwubiko, condemned the current government for allowing the Inspector General of Police “to behave as if he is above the laws of the land just as the Rights group has once again, demanded the immediate release of the detained journalist with Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Daniel Ojukwu.”
Also, Convener and FIJ Board Chairman, Bukky Shonibare, condemned what she said was an abuse of the Remand Order, which is observed to be the new machinery for which the “Nigeria Police continuously violates the rights of Nigerian citizens.”
Premised on the above, she demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, should ensure Ojukwu’s immediate release and uphold his fundamental human rights, as his continued detention without charges undermined Nigeria’s democratic standing and risks further erosion of public trust.
“State resources are redirected towards securing the lives and property of Nigerian citizens rather than the abuse, assault, and attacks on civic actors.
“A rights-based review of laws that are subject to vexatious interpretations amending them to reflect democratic norms and principles.
“Invitations by the Police should be in writing, documented, and undersigned by their legal representatives. It is illegal to arbitrarily show up and pick somebody without stating cause.
“All requests for individuals to accompany law enforcement personnel to a station for questioning or detainment should be documented with a duly authorized warrant and acknowledged in writing by the individual, ensuring that their legal rights are understood.”
Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Commissioner of Police, Special Operations, Vungmoh Kwaimo, promised to look into the matter.