Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday hit out at President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the arrest of journalists.
Atiku in a post on his X handle also called for the release of a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Daniel Ojukwu.
“Two days ago, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, a minister of this administration boasted that no journalist had been incarcerated by this administration,” Atiku said.
READ ALSO: Police transfer FIJ reporter Daniel Ojukwu to Abuja
“That was before the detention of Daniel Ojukwu of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
“The arrest of Ojukwu may not be unconnected with the groundbreaking investigative works of FIJ that has exposed alleged high profile smuggler with links to top officials of this administration.”
Atiku in the post also made mention of the arrest and detention of Segun Olatunji of First News Newspaper and Chinonso Uba known as Nonso Ukwa of Oziza FM Radio.
He said it is not only irresponsible to arrest journalists for exposing the ills that abound in this government, it is also a breach of their constitutionally guaranteed Free Press.
“That the arrest of Ojukwu came barely 48 hours after the observance of the World Press Freedom Day, speaks volumes of the character of the Tinubu administration to freedom of the press,” Atiku added.
READ ALSO: Police arrest FIJ reporter Daniel Ojukwu
The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 presidential election also said the least that is expected of the relevant authorities is to free Ojukwu.
A lawyer, Ridwan Oke, on Sunday confirmed that the Nigerian Police Force has transferred FIJ reporter, Ojukwu to Abuja.
“I can confirm that Daniel was moved to Abuja early this morning. He was allowed to make call and he just spoke with me,” Oke said on X.
“He is currently being held at the “Threat Response Unit of the NPF National Cybercrime Centre”, Abuja.”
FIJ in an earlier report said that Ojukwu was arrested by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
According to the report, the journalist was initially detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos state.
“Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday, May 1, his numbers switched off and his whereabouts unknown to both colleagues, family and friends,” FIJ said.
FIJ said last Thursday, it initially made the report of a missing person at police stations in the area where Ojukwu was headed.
The media outlet stated that last Friday, a private detective it hired tracked the last active location of the reporter’s phones to an address in Isheri Olofin in Lagos.
FIJ said it believes that was the location where the police had originally abducted the journalist.