News
DSS Frees Detained Journalist After Two Years …As Nigerians Condemn Ogundipe’s Detention
The Department of State Services (DSS), has released Bayelsa-based journalist and publisher of the Weekly Source Magazine, Mr. Jones Abiri, who had been in detention for over two years.
Abiri was arrested at his office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on July 21, 2016, over an alleged link to armed militancy in the Niger Delta region.
Although he denied the allegation, he was initially granted bail in the sum of N2million and two sureties who must be civil servants not lower than level 12.
Following public outcry, however, Abiri was eventually charged with the offence on July 27, 2018, at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Last week, the court reviewed the journalist’s bail conditions, following an application by his lawyer who said they were too stringent for his client.
Meanwhile, Nigerians across the country have condemned the latest arrest and detention of Samuel Ogundipe of Premium Times.
A coalition of civil society groups, #OurMumuDondo, yesterday, stormed the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to demand the release of detained Premiums Times reporter, Samuel Ogundipe.
Led by popular musician, Charlie Boy, the protesters insisted on the release of the reporter, noting that they would not leave until he is freed.
The activists briefly barricaded the Shehu Shagari Way, forcing motorists to ply alternative routes.
Presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, berated the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, for pressurising Ogundipe to disclose his source.
Another activist, Ralph Adebayo, described the IG as “ignorant,” noting that “he has been transmitting confusion since he became the Police boss, stumbling from one controversy to another.”
Also, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), international rights group, Amnesty International (AI), the International Press Centre (IPC) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA), yesterday, demanded the immediate release of Ogundipe.
In separate petitions to the Acting President, Prof YemiOsinbajo and Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, they demanded that Ogundipe’s personal bank account be unfrozen by the police.
A political party, Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), also condemned detention and also demanded “the immediate and unconditional release of Premium Times journalist”.
Premium Times Security Sector Reporter, Ogundipe, its Editor-In-chief, Mr MuskiluMojeed and the Education Reporter, Ms. AzeezatAdedigba were arrested by the police anti-robbery squad last Tuesday.
The arrest followed Ogundipe’s refusal to disclose the source of a story published on the online newspaper.
The story contained a report by the IGP, to the Acting President on the siege on the National Assembly by the State Security Service.
While Mojeed and Adedigba were released shortly afterwards, Ogundipe was still being held at press time yesterday.
The NUJ’s August 15 letter signed by its National President, Mr Abdulwaheed Odusile, accused the IGP of hounding the press and urged the Acting President to call him to order.
He said: “I write this petition on behalf of thousands of Nigerian journalists, against the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, over his incessant attacks on journalists and violent violations of their human rights, culminating in Tuesday’s arrest of a Premium Times reporter, Mr Samuel Ogundipe.
“The journalist is being held to disclose his source of information, a demand that is against the ethical precepts of our profession.”
The NUJ recalled the abduction and detention of two journalists who are brothers, Daniel and IzuchukwuElomba as well as the abduction of the National Assembly correspondent of Daily Trust, AbdulahiKrishi, by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
It added: “It is obvious that the excesses of the IGP against the media is giving your government a bad image as an anti- press government, even when it’s obvious these infractions were carried out without The Presidency’s imprimatur.
“We therefore implore Your Excellency to call the Inspector-General to order and stop his incessant attacks on the media.”
Amnesty International tasked the police to “immediately and unconditionally release journalist Samuel Ogundipe, who has been in unlawful police detention since last Tuesday.
The Rivers State Government has expressed worries over the high level of non-compliance of health protocols with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, warning that henceforth any resident caught without wearing facemask will be arrested and prosecuted.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim handed down the warning while speaking on a live Radio programme in Port Harcourt on Saturday and monitored by the Tide.
Nsirim who is Chairman of the State Inter-ministerial Committee on Enlightenment for Covid-19 recalled the unhappiness of Governor Nyesom Wike during last Wednesday’s State broadcast with the attitude of many residents who flaunt extant directives on the wearing of facemask and other health protocols.
“The Governor in that broadcast also expressed concern that a lot of people in the State are not obeying the protocols. Social distancing, wearing of facemask and he spoke specifically in what is happening in some churches. Government will introduce policies, the onus is on the populace to obey those policies.
“Not just obeying it, the Covid-19 pandemic that we are talking about has defied medical solution for now. So to flatten the curve, everyone living and doing business in Rivers State has to take responsibility.
“If I take responsibility and everyone around me takes responsibility to observe the relevant protocol, we are sure to flatten the curve. But if people live righteously and just do as if nothing is happening because there are places where people are just living in denial.
“Some people still believe that there is nothing like Coronavirus. Two weeks ago, my committee rounded off street to street campaign in all the 23 local government areas of the State. They still met people who are in this denial. That is the challenge.
“The Governor is desirous that Rivers State remains safe. That is why he is initiating policies to ensure that strategically the state is somehow isolated from the national spread,” the Commissioner said.
Nsirim further said, “If you go around the State, since the executive order on facemask was introduced. You will notice that less than
30 per cent of the populace are really obeying that executive order. What we are seeing in the State is that people just put the mask around their chin.
“You go to some churches we see people open their mouth and things will be spewing out in the enclosed environment on the chin. The Governor is saying that to give this wearing of facemask the kind of weight that it deserves to save our people, a special taskforce be put in place.
“That is the only sure way because a lot of people are still living in denial. He said the governor’s broadcast is very clear, arrest and prosecute. Henceforth we will arrest and prosecute people not wearing facemask in public places,” he stated.
The Rivers State Government spokesman said arrangements have been concluded to monitor churches that fail to observe the guidelines of not more than 70 persons per church service, wearing of facemask, provision of water for hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers, while weddings and burial ceremonies should not exceed 50 persons.
Dennis Naku
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