MRA Condemns Arrest, Detention Of Broadcast Journalist By Police In Ilorin

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the arrest of Ilorin-based broadcast journalist, Dare Akogun by the Nigerian Police Force, Kwara Command.

Akogun was arrested on Thursday by police operatives in an effort to coerce him to retract an allegation of corruption he reportedly made against an official of the State Government.

The MRA, Director of Programmes, Ayode Longe in a statement on Friday called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to put an end to the practice of politicians and powerful individuals, using the police to shield themselves from scrutiny and criticism.

With immediate effect, he also asked that the IGP halt the use of the police to harass or intimidate journalists and media organizations reporting on their activities.

The police had invited Akogun via a letter dated October 7, delivered to him on October 12, to meet with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the Criminal Investigation Department of the command the following day, Thursday at 11 am.

The letter claimed that the office was investigating cases of inciting disturbance, injurious falsehood and criminal defamation against Akogun, but said his coming to the office was “just a fact-finding invitation.”

However, when Akogun honoured the invitation on October 13, he was asked by the Deputy Police Commissioner to write a letter of apology to the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye.

Ajakaye had petitioned the State Police Command asking it to investigate and prosecute Abdulrasheed Akogun and Dare Akogun for alleged criminal defamation against him.

The spokesman of the Governor had claimed in the petition that the two men committed the offence through their WhatsApp posts on September 30, 2022, in which they accused him of facilitating the use of over N15m in public funds to prosecute the last chairmanship election of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

“Without ascertaining the veracity or otherwise of the report, when Akogun arrived at the station, accompanied by his lawyer, Taiwo Olaitan, the Deputy Police Commissioner asked him to write the letter of apology to the Chief Press Secretary.

“Akogun, however, declined on the ground that it would amount to admitting to the charge of injurious falsehood and criminal defamation, whereupon the Deputy Police Commissioner ordered that he should be detained,” the statement said.

Describing the action of the Deputy Police Commissioner as unlawful, an abuse of power and an abuse of his office, Longe said, “It is embarrassing that the Police now consider it that it is their primary function to protect the reputation of political office holders, politicians and other powerful individuals and misusing their coercive powers to play this role.

“The Inspector-General of Police should immediately call his officers to order and advise them to desist from making themselves tools in the hands of the rich and powerful.”