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BREAKING: Nigeria’s FIJ Journalist Daniel Ojukwu Released From Police Detention A Day After Protest

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Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), detained by the Nigerian police since Wednesday, May 1, 2024, has regained his freedom.

SaharaReporters learnt that Ojukwu was released on Friday.

The journalist’s release comes a day after a coalition of civil society groups under the aegis of Action Group for the Protection of Civic Actors and a human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore staged a protest at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to demand his release.

On Thursday, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, DIG Ayuba Ede, revealed that Ojukwu’s release was at the discretion of the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun.

Ojukwu was secretly abducted by the police in Lagos on Wednesday, May 1 and transferred to Abuja about three days later.

 

He was in detention from May 1 to May 5, before being given access to his phones.

 

The group expressed concern regarding press freedom and shrinking civic space in Nigeria and vowed to continue to occupy the building until the journalist is released.

 

During a closed-door meeting with a PUNCH Newspaper correspondent, Abiodun Sanusi, and a member of the Take It Back Movement, Oshioks Phillip, at the Force Headquarters on Thursday, DIG Ede promised to submit the demand of the protesters to IG Egbetokun and the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the FCID, DIG Abiodun Alabi.

 

He said while details of the petition and the ongoing police investigation needed to be reviewed, the final decision on the release of journalist Ojukwu would be based on the discretion of the IG.

Ede said, “It is good that you all have come here; and the protesters demonstrated peacefully without violence. Also, our men had coordinated themselves well.

 

“We are looking into the matter. My office is in charge of police operations, and that’s why I’m interacting with you over the protest at the Force Headquarters.

 

“We have heard your submission concerning how the reporter wrote an article, and a petition was written against him, and he has been arrested. I will also contact the DIG in charge of the FCID to get details of the development as regards their investigation.

 

“Once I have the full details, we would relay the information to the IGP, the IGP is the person that would decide on the journalist’s release, he has the final say on the matter on whether to release him on bail or charge him to court.”

 

On May 3, an investigator hired by FIJ found that Ojukwu’s phone had last been active in the Isheri Olofin neighborhood of Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, and FIJ was informed that the journalist was being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti Street on allegations of violating the Cybercrimes Act, the FIJ reported and Ridwan Oke, a lawyer for the outlet, told CPJ.

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CP confirms abduction of two persons in Kwara community

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Kwara State Police Commissioner, Adekimi Ojo, has confirmed the abduction of petrol dealer, Alhaji Abbas and his manager, Abubakar Issa, in their community on Friday.

The Police Commissioner in a text message to Ekwutosblog reporter on Sunday, said, “the state police command is aware and already working on the phone number used to demand the ransom.”

Alhaji Abbas and his manager, Abubakar Issa, were reportedly kidnapped on Friday by unidentified gunmen at Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara state.

The victims were abducted after close of work at the Daniyan Shaba Global Investment Filling station in Gbugbu town.

Their abductors have also demanded a ransom of N200 million for their release.

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Flight disrupted as Air Peace aircraft hits large antelope on Abuja airport runway

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An aircraft belonging to Air Peace has collided with an antelope while taxiing on the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

It was gathered that the incident caused disruptions to scheduled flights as the aircraft was marked Aircraft on Ground, AOG.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, through its Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) the NCAA spokesman, said such unforeseen occurrences were part of the challenges that usually lead to flight disruptions.

He said, “Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft on ground.

“As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.”

According to him, while the incident was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is still obligated to inform passengers, provide refunds, and extend necessary care.

He stressed that the NCAA would not hesitate to sanction the airline if it fails in its responsibilities.

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Corruption erodes trust, enables impunity amid Nigeria’s insecurity crisis – Ribadu

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National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, has insisted that corruption has played a role in eroding public trust and enabling impunity amid Nigeria’s insecurity crisis.

Ribadu spoke yesterday while delivering the 9th Oba Sikiru Adetona Annual Professorial Lecture of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, entitled, ‘Corruption and National Security: Impacts and Consequences’.

Represented at the event by Oluwatosin Ajayi, the Director General of the Department of State Service, Ribadu said, “We cannot talk about the insecurity in Nigeria without acknowledging that corruption has played a role in eroding public trust, compromising law enforcement effectiveness and some cases enabling impunity.

“Whether it is the diversion of funds meant for the military hardware or the undermining of due process in arms procurement, the impact is weakening national capacity to respond to threats,” he said.

Ribadu, however, said that Nigeria’s security and corruption challenges are not beyond redemption.

He noted that the path to their resolution runs through the corridor of integrity, leadership and institutional reforms.

In April, Ribadu suggested that President Bola Tinubu and his administration inherited an extremely bad government, particularly insecurity.

The NSA stated this when he visited Benue State to commiserate with the government and the people over the killing of over 72 people by terrorists masquerading as herdsmen.

He condemned the killings and urged the people of Benue to give Tinubu government a chance and stop politicizing the killings.

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