By Joseph Edegbo & Iliya Kure
Nigeria Police Force on Thursday says it’s attention has been drawn to what it calls innuendos and misinformation in the media about the arrest and ongoing prosecution of one Samuel Ogundipe of Premium Times online publication by Police Investigation Unit.
A statement by the Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood in Abuja on Thursday says that Samuel Ogundipe is being investigated and prosecuted for offences of “theft and unlawful possession of restricted and classified documents” inimical to State/National Security that could jeopardize peace, breakdown of law and order, capable of precipitating crisis in the Country.
Other offences for which the accused is being investigated and prosecuted, according to the statement, are the violation of Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code Law for which “he has volunteered statements and is standing trial.”
The statement gives further details on the Investigative Journalist who was believed to be carrying out his professional duties.
“It is factual to state that Mr. Samuel Ogundipe was arrested on the 14th of August, 2018 and on completion of Preliminary Investigation, he was arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction in the FCT in less than Twenty-Four (24) Hours of his arrest. He was remanded to Police custody and the case was adjourned to Monday, 20th August, 2018.
“The Nigeria Police Force as a law-abiding organization will continue to ensure that the Rule of Law and its supremacy which are essentials of democracy prevails at all times.
“However, individual(s) or group(s) who violates the law must be brought to justice, the Force will also ensure that all Nigerians irrespective of profession, practice or carrier are subject to the same Law, and therefore wishes to impress it on the Media to encourage prosecution of all offenders upon whom a prima facie case has been established. Every concerned group(s) or interested person(s) should be aware that the matter is in court and the due process of law is being followed.
“The Nigeria Police Force and the media are veritable partners in ensuring peace, law and order in the country, but the Force will not compromise or allow an offender to go scot free or pervert the end of justice.
“The Force is hereby assuring all law-abiding Nigerians, respected media practitioners and other members of the public of a guaranteed freedom of expression and other rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended, and will continue to hold in high esteem with utmost respect, the views of prominent and notable media unions, practitioners’ associations and other stakeholders. However, the Force is constrained by the Law to allow justice to take its course and rule of law to prevail in this case.
“Consequently, members of the public are implored to disregard every sentiment being peddled to cast aspersions on the investigation and the ongoing prosecution of the offender in court,” the statement said.
On the other side
On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES published on its website stating, “Mr Ogundipe was arrested at about 300 p.m. and driven from the SARS headquarters in Abuja to the IGP Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters where he was made to write a statement concerning the source of a recent story he wrote. He has declined giving his source as allowed by journalism ethics.
“Mr Ogundipe’s salary account with Ecobank was frozen in an attempt to frustrate him. One of the police officers handling the investigation, Emmanuel Onyeneho, an inspector, was heard saying they had to freeze the account to incapacitate the reporter.
“At the Force headquarters, where he was taken, a Deputy Commissioner of Police at the IGP Monitoring Unit, Sani Ahmadu, was heard directing lawyers to “rush to court” to obtain a warrant to detain Mr. Ogundipe.
According to PREMIUM TIMES, “Apart from asking Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source, the police also accused the reporter, who covers the security sector, of publishing mainly negative stories about the police.
“Mr Onyeneho told Mr Ogundipe that they believe the journalist had written more negative stories than positive stories about the police and they considered that a crime.
“He said the journalist must disclose all his sources for his stories about the police, something Mr Ogundipe professionally declined.
“Aside Mr Ogundipe, this newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and harassed by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja.”
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/01/16/news/proscription-order-on-existence-operations-of-peace-corps-still-in-force-nigeria-police/
