Publishers’ Group Condemns Arrest, Intimidation of Online Journalists

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Online Publishers Association of Nigeria, OPAN, Nigeria’s premier association of digital/new media publishers, has condemned the arrest of the duo of Daniel Elombah and Tim Elombah, the Publisher and Editor respectively, of United Kingdom based online news website, Elombah.com by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police Force on “Orders from above.”

Though the police has declined to publicly state why the journalists were brutalized and arrested in the wee hours of New Year’s Day in their family home in Nnewi, Anambra State, independent finding shows that the arrest was premised on an opinion article titled “IGP Ibrahim Idris’s Unending Baggage of Controversies” written by Eboiwei Dickson, that was published on the website as well as dozens of other sites, which the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris found offensive.

According to a statement signed by the president of the group, Austyn Ogannah, OPAN says it views the assault on elombah.com as part of a sustained plot by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to intimidate and suppress press freedom.

“We wish to remind this administration that we are in a democratic dispensation. The practice of using security agencies to harass journalists, especially those operating in the digital media must STOP.

“We implore this administration to respect free speech and protect the fundamental rights of citizens, whilst also urging the judicial arm of government not to allow its judges and courts become a tool in the hands of dictators and oppressors, to legitimize their abuse and violation of human rights.” the statement stated.