NUJ flays member’s arrest by Lagos-based policemen
The Kwara Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the mode of arrest of one of its members by detectives of the Police Special Fraud Unit from Lagos.
The Council’s Secretary, Olayinka Alaya, in a statement on Thursday in Ilorin on behalf of the council’s Chairman, Abdullatif Ahmed, said the arrest of the member, Mr Rowland Olonishuwa, was inappropriate.
Supreme News reports that the arrest was said not to be unconnected with a recent story published by some online news platforms.
“Olonishuwa, who is a member of the Herald Chapel of the Council, was forcefully taken away from his residence along Asa Dam Road in Ilorin on Wednesday by the detectives.
”Upon receiving report of the incident on Wednesday morning, the leadership of the Kwara NUJ Council immediately swung into action, reaching out to the Police Command in the state to inquire about the arrest.
”In a conversation with the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, it was confirmed that the Police Command was unaware of the operation and had not been informed of any planned activity involving officers from Lagos.
“The Kwara NUJ Council finds this situation deeply troubling, as the secretive nature of the arrest violates proper legal and procedural norms,” Alaya said.
He added that arresting a journalist without prior notification or collaboration with the Police Command in the state raises concerns about the respect for due process.
”It also lends credence to a disturbing trend of intimidation towards members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm,” the Secretary said.
Alaya said, in response to the development, the Council on Wednesday informed the leadership of NUJ’s Lagos State Council, seeking its immediate intervention.
”A call for the swift release of Mr Olonishuwa has been issued, along with a demand for an explanation regarding the involvement of Lagos-based security operatives in an arrest conducted far outside their jurisdiction.
”The Council has also flagged reports of similar arrests in Lagos and Abeokuta involving other publishers, raising concerns about a coordinated crackdown on press freedom.
”As a Union whose responsibility is enshrined in the Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), we will not condone any form of intimidation, harassment, or illegal detention of journalists.
”This is especially when such actions are carried out with utter disregard for the rule of law and fundamental human rights,” he said.
He however disclosed that the Council had reached out to Mr Olonishuwa’s home, offering emotional support and assuring them that every legal measure would be pursued to secure his freedom.
“The Council further reiterated its commitment to the protection of press freedom and safety of its members,” Alaya added.
He said the Council expects the Nigeria Police Force to urgently address this violation.
”This should remind all state actors that the press is not an enemy of the state but a vital pillar of democracy,” the Kwara NUJ Council Secretary said.
