The arrested and detained Premium Times journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, has spoken on his detainment by the Nigeria Police.
The reporter, in a brief narration, said the police accused him of stealing secret documents.
Recall that the police had demanded that Ogundipe disclose how he obtained a letter the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris wrote to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on the sacked Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.
However, the journalist declined in line with the ethics of the profession.
The journalist, in a brief statement, said he was secretly arraigned before a magistrate court in Kubwa, Abuja, on Wednesday, without being granted access to his lawyers.
He was quoted as saying: “They brought me to a magistrate court in Kubwa where they arraigned me. The magistrate said they should detain me for five days.
“They accused me of criminal trespass. They said I stole secret documents. The magistrate does not know the details, because they did not include in the charge that I am a journalist. I was not allowed to contact my lawyers.
“They also did not allow me to call anyone until the magistrate ordered them to let me make one call. I am currently using the registrar’s phone to make this call and they are collecting it.”
Meanwhile, Nigerian activists, civil society leaders and journalists have started a protest at the police headquarters in Abuja, demanding the release of Ogundipe.
The demonstration is led by the #TakebackNigeriaMovement and the #OurMumuDonDo, and is holding in front of the police’s Louis Edet House.