Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has been set free from police custody.
FIJ confirm is release on Friday with a statement on its website,
“Daniel Ojukwu, the FIJ reporter who was abducted by men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police, has regained freedom after 10 days in police captivity,
“Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday, May 1, his numbers switched off and his whereabouts unknown to colleagues, family and friends.”
Police had detained Ojukwu since May 1 after he was “abducted” by officers in Lagos.
His family and FIJ management were unaware of his whereabouts until 48 hours after he was declared missing.
He was later relocated to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police.
They later moved him to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
He was held for allegedly violating the country’s Cybercrime Act, often criticized as a tool for censorship.
The journalist’s arrest and subsequent transfer to the Nigerian capital of Abuja followed his report about alleged financial mismanagement of over N147 million ($104,600) involving a senior government official, according to his employer
The police had given FIJ’s lawyers and negotiators stringent bail conditions.
However, police started to soft-pedal after civil society organisations marched to the Force Headquarters on Thursday to press for his release, resulting in his eventual release on Friday.
Abimbola Ojenike, FIJ’s lawyer was quoted as saying that “Daniel Ojukwu’s case is one of the most egregious cases of human rights violation and misuse of the powers of the Police against journalists”.
