Police arrest journalist for report against ex-CBN gov's firm

Date: 2019-10-30

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a journalist with NewsDigest, Adebowale Adekoya, over a report which seemed to be targeted against a company owned by a former acting governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Sarah Alade.

According to PRNigeria, the report titled, 'Inside Kwara factory where Indian hemp smoking is legalised', centred on Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industry, one of the group of companies owned by Mrs Alade.

It was however learnt that Adekoya was not the author of the story but another reporter with the outfit.

Adekoya was arrested in Ikorodu, Lagos while going home and whisked away to Ilorin, Kwara State.

The story was published by NewsDigest in May, 2018.

In the report, it was stated that Hillcrest Agro-Alied Industry tolerated the smoking of cigarettes as well as Indian hemp by workers within its vicinity.

The NewsDigest's investigative journalist, in his report, further disclosed that workers smoked Indian hemp at will without being sanctioned.

It was also reported that the firm refused to respond to author's inquiry on the disturbing situation, after he had put several calls and text messages to the industry's hot line.

Lawyer to Adekoya, Yunus Abdulsalam, told The PUNCH that he had not had access to his client since his arrest.

Abdulsalam lamented that his client was arrested for another person's alleged act, adding that this was unlawful.

He said, "He is still in detention and efforts are on to secure his release. They have not even stated his crime because we haven't been granted access to him but the information we got was that he was arrested over a report in NewsDigest in 2018.

"He was not even the author of the report. That is the strange aspect of the entire saga. Nigerian law prohibits arrest by substitution."

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara State, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, said the journalist would be taken to Abuja as part of investigations.

Okasanmi said, "The case is being investigated. It is a case of defamation of character. The character of a person was defamed. He was arrested and taken to Kwara. He will also be taken to Abuja as part of investigation.

"There is an element of criminality in the allegations. It is not just defamation alone. By Wednesday, we will have more information."

Reacting to the arrest, Gidado Yushau, Editor of NewsDigest, expressed shock over the arrest of his online newspaper's webmaster, describing the police's action as an "unbridled illegality."

The police have in the last one year arrested several journalists for alleged defamation, a move which has been criticised by Amnesty International and other rights groups.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Undergraduate Bursary     Kolade Solagberu     Abdullah Janet Amudat     Alfa Yahaya Road     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Olayinka Olaogun     Amos Justus Sayo     Agor     Olatinwo     Idi-Ape     SSA Youth     Sulaiman Gado     Niyi Ogundiran     MINILS     Ajase-Ipo     Mohammed Danjuma     Kuliyan Geri     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     CKNG     Tunji Olawuyi     United Nigeria Congress Party     Elewu     Iyaloja-General     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     ASUU     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Bilikisu Oniyangi     Iyabo Adewuyi     Kwara Restoration Project     Law School Scholarship     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Kwara State Government     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani     Funmilayo Oniwa     TVC Female National Debate     Summit University     Bluenile Associates     Baba-Isale     Waheed Ibrahim     Ganiyu Abolarin     Mary Arinde     Otuka     Elelu     Olatomiwa Williams     Madawaki     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Col. Adedipe     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Garba Dogo     Sarkin Malamai     Deji Ajani     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Shehu Adaramaja     Binta Sulyman     Apado     Public Holiday     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Age AbdulKareem     Olusola Saraki     Idofin     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Wahab Abayawo     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Adanla-Irese     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Lotus Bank     Sheikh Ridhwanullah El-ilory     Tafidan Kaiama     Mahe Abdulkadir     IEDPU     Balogun Fulani    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

JAAC     Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Balogun Gambari     Farouk Salim     COVID-19 Palliatives     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Joseph Offorjama     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Usman Alkali Baba     Ilorin General Hospital     Emir Of Yashikira     Ministry Of Women Affairs And Social Development     Daud Adeshola     College Of Health     ASKOMP     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Tanke     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     Ayoade Akinnibosun     Salake     Abdulrahman Abdulrazak     Rebecca Bake     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Park     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Sarakite     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Aremu Bose Deborah     Egbejila     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Rotimi Oyedepo     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Kayode Bankole     Abdulfatai Baakini     Shao     Jalala     April 11     Ayekale     Mohammed Saidu     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Olosi Of Osi     Okanlawon Taiwo     Agbarere     Moses Adekanye     Ibraheem Abdullateef     Oladipo Akanmu Tolani     Abdullahi G. Mohammad     Tsaragi-Share     Iqra Books     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     KWASIEC     NULGE     KW-GIS     Simeon Sayomi     Odolaye Aremu     Bola Shagaya     Joseph Daudu     Kola Ologbondiyan     Sherif Sagaya     Oyedepo     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Oluwole Dupe     Adewuyi Funmilayo     Ejidongari     Esuwoye     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Jare Olatundun     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Overland     Sango-UITH Road     Alapado     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Radio SBS     Alore     Pius Abioje     Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Shuaibu Yaman