The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the release of Premium times Journalist Mr. Samuel Ogundipe who was alleged to have been arrested and detained by the Nigerian Police over an alleged report.
In a press statement released on Wednesday by the spokesperson of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said the Police and the ruling party of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are detaining Premium Time Journalist Mr. Ogundipe against his fundamental right to freedom as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, as amended.
The statement also condemned the manhandling of the Premium Times Newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed and its education correspondent Azeezat Adedigba, while also calling for their immediate release.
Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan while criticizing the Muhammadu Buhari led government and the Police, said:
The party also condemns the alleged denial of personal freedom and manhandling of Premium Times newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba by the police
The party holds that the continued detention of Mr. Ogundipe is against his fundamental right to freedom as enshrined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).
The incessant clampdown on journalists and media houses by Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration is completely unacceptable in a democracy and only reminiscent of military Decree 4 of 1984 that empowers then dictatorial regime to arrest and detain journalists over reports considered to be against its interest.
We, therefore, call on the general media and all lovers of democracy and free speech in the country to speak out against the unabating assault on the media by the APC administration as such poses a huge threat to our democracy and the rights of citizens in our country.”
According to Premium Times, Mr. Ogundipe, who covers the security beat for the paper, was arrested on Tuesday by the police and secretly arraigned at a magistrate court in Abuja on Wednesday.
They also reported that the police are asking Mr. Ogundipe to disclose his source for a story, a demand which they said goes contrary to ethical journalism.