Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the detention of Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, calling it an assault on press freedom.
He stated that arresting journalists for revealing societal problems is not only wrong but also a violation of free press.
Atiku pointed out that the arrest occurred just 48 hours after a minister claimed that no journalist had been imprisoned by the current administration.
“Two days ago, on the occasion of the #WorldPressFreedomDay, a minister of this administration boasted that no journalist had been incarcerated by this administration,” Atiku said.
Atiku connected Ojukwu’s detention to his investigations, including a recent report on an alleged high-profile smuggler.
“The arrest of Ojukwu may be related to the groundbreaking investigative work of the independent Foundation for Investigative Journalism, which has exposed an alleged high-profile smuggler with connections to top officials of this administration,” he added.
He also mentioned the arrests and detentions of Segun Olatunji of FirstNews Newspaper and Chinonso Uba, also known as Nonso Ukwa of Oziza FM Radio, criticizing the government’s increasing practice of press suppression.
“It is not only wrong to arrest journalists for uncovering the problems that exist in this government, it is also a violation of their constitutionally guaranteed #FreePress.
“That the arrest of Ojukwu occurred just 48 hours after the observance of the World Press Freedom Day, says a lot about the nature of the Tinubu administration regarding freedom of the press.
“The authorities should at least release Ojukwu,” he stated.
Ojukwu went missing on May 1, and his phone was unreachable, leaving his colleagues, family, and friends unaware of his whereabouts.
Subsequently, Ojukwu’s family discovered that he was held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Lagos State, where he was reportedly accused of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act.
FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo, revealed to PUNCH Online on Sunday that the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, transferred Ojukwu to the National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.
