The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that the Foundation for Investigative Journalism has more than 15 pending cases with the police.
This is coming, following the release of Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter of the the news organization, who was detained by the police operatives during the week.
He was initially taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Lagos State, where he was reportedly accused of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act.
Later, the accused Journalist was transferred to the Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre, in Abuja on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
After a protest, attended by many human right activists, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, Daniel was released last Friday.
However, Adejobi, in a statement made available yesterday, claimed that Ojukwu’s arrest and investigation by the police were justifiable under the law.
Meanwhile, a lawyer, Ridwan Oke, tweeting as @Ridwanullahii, engaged the FPRO in a series of tweets after he (Adejobi) had justified Ojukwu’s arrest.
READ MORE: FIJ Journalist: “Ojukwu Was Lawfully Arrested, Has Case To Answer” – Police PRO Insist
Oke wrote: “You got a petition against a journalist who had written about a potential mismanagement of public funds. You never bothered to investigate the mismanagement of public funds that was alleged but you swung into action and proceeded to arrest the journalist who had written the investigative report.
“You didn’t bother to invite the said journalist to see whether he would honour your invite as a respected citizen. You went on a military-era style and double-crossed him.”
“You didn’t stop at that, you collected his phone, threw him inside a cell, and kept him from making contact with the outside world. If he was not lucky to be found in your custody, he would still be a ‘missing person’ today. You put his family, employers and friends into panic mode when you could have respected his rights.
“All of these were not addressed in your report nor the officers held accountable but yet you want Nigerians to believe that the Nigeria Police Force did everything right in this case when a journalist suffered these just for doing an investigative report towards exposing mismanagement of public funds?”
Adejobi tweeted: “Be reminded also that FIJ has more than 15 cases pending, and they don’t honour invitations to the best of my knowledge. So there is no need for the police to wait, but act as stipulated by the law.
“We have done the right thing in the matter, and we will still continue to investigate and prosecute the suspect who is on bail as and when due. No sentiment in law.”
“The law instructs the police to arrest any criminal suspect, not to invite. So, the invitation is at the discretion of the IPO, depending on the circumstances, not an obligation.”
Good day. Let me quickly remind you of a point in your paragraph 3, there is no law that police must invite while investigating a criminal case. The law instructs the police to arrest any criminal suspect, not to invite. So, the invitation is at the discretion of the IPO,… https://t.co/L1c6oO8jOt
— Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi (@Princemoye1) May 12, 2024
