A journalist named Daniel Ojukwu from the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, was reportedly taken by the Inspector General of Police's Intelligence Response Team and is currently in police custody for the third day.
PUNCH Online reported stated that his employers, the FIJ, reported that he is currently in detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti in Lagos, for alleged cybercrime offenses.
Ojukwu disappeared on Wednesday, and his phones were turned off with no information on his whereabouts.
Twenty-four hours after he went missing, FIJ filed a missing persons’ report at police stations in the area he was heading to.
Fortunately, a private detective hired by FIJ eventually managed to track the last active location of Ojukwu’s phones to an address in Isheri Olofin.
A lawyer named Ridwan Oke, who tweets as @Ridwanullahii, confirmed that Ojukwu was still in custody at the SCID, Panti, Lagos, after meeting with him on Saturday.
While sharing his experience at the SCID, Oke noted that the Nigerian police system does not prioritize the fundamental rights of citizens.
He expressed, "This morning, I met with the journalist with @fijnigeria, @Mazi_OJD, who is still in police custody at SCID, Panti, Lagos. I observed the following: We still have a police system that does not prioritize fundamental rights.
"He has been detained here since Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Today is the fourth day. His mother only found out almost 48 hours later because they started looking at police stations and not because they allowed him to contact his people."
He criticized the judicial system for granting remands without proper consideration for the rights of citizens.
"Courts will also grant remand warrants without proper consideration for the rights of the citizen. Our judiciary has a lot to do. This current system is not working for anyone but the rich and powerful," he said.
He added that instead of continuously keeping him in custody, Ojukwu should be taken to court.
He urged the police to release Ojukwu and allow the legal process to proceed.
"The Nigerian Police is irredeemable and this is unbecoming of a law enforcement agency. @Mazi_OJD is a journalist. If he breaks the law, let him face the court instead of detaining him without any charges. Free Daniel now!" he concluded.
Recently, PUNCH Online reported revealed that the editor of FirstNews newspaper, Segun Olatunji, was later found to have been abducted by operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency from his home in Lagos State.
Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The PUNCH, was abducted on Friday, March 15, 2024, from his home in the Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of the state.
The management of the online newspaper connected the action to a recent story published by FirstNews titled, "Revealed: “Defence Chief running an office like a family business – Public Interest Lawyers”, published by many other online platforms.
He was later released on March 28, 2024, to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja after sustained pressure from the media.
Ojukwu and Olatunji’s troubles make us remember the notorious days of the late military ruler, Sani Abacha when security agents cracked down on media organizations and professionals.
A lot of reporters were detained unfairly on false charges during that time.
