News
Police detain journalist over report on Lagos businessman
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/images-2024-06-06T142545.501.jpeg&description=Police detain journalist over report on Lagos businessman', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/images-2024-06-06T142545.501.jpeg&description=Police detain journalist over report on Lagos businessman', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
By Francesca Hangeior.
Men of the Nigerian Police Force from the Zone 2 Command, Lagos State, have arrested a journalist and publisher of News Platform, Precious Eze.
The publisher of the online newspaper was said to have been picked up by policemen at his Gbagada, Lagos home on May 27, 2024.
His arrest, according to a statement by the journalist’s colleagues, was allegedly instigated by a complaint from a prominent businessman and politician.
The statement added that Eze’s colleagues, under the umbrella of the Society of Digital Newspaper Owners of Nigeria, learnt of his arrest after one week he had been detained and attempts to secure his release on bail proved abortive.
According to them, Eze was arraigned on Thursday, May 30, before the Ebute Meta Magistrate Court to secure a remand order, which resulted in a judicial rebuke of the police’s action as the magistrate struck out the case, deeming it without merit and affirming that Eze had no case to answer.
They claimed that rather than grant Eze’s immediate release, the police returned him to custody and re-arraigned him before another magistrate on Friday, May 31, with the case adjourned to a future date in June.
The statement read, “This sequence of events is not just a personal ordeal for Precious Eze but a glaring assault on press freedom in Nigeria. The actions of the police, acting seemingly under the influence of a powerful individual, represent a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence the press. This undermines the very foundations of a democratic society, where journalists must be able to report freely and hold those in power accountable without fear of retribution.
“The Nigerian Constitution (1999), the Evidence Act (2011), and the ethical codes of the Nigerian Press Council Act (1992) are clear in their support for journalistic freedom and the protection of sources. The prolonged detention and legal harassment of Precious Eze stand in stark contrast to these protections and serve as a chilling reminder of the vulnerabilities journalists face in Nigeria.
“As this case unfolds, it is imperative for the Nigerian judiciary to uphold the principles of justice and press freedom. The international community, press freedom advocates, and civil society must also remain vigilant and vocal in their support for Eze and all journalists facing similar threats.
“The detention of Precious Eze is not just an isolated incident; it is a bellwether of the broader struggle for freedom of expression in Nigeria. It is a call to action to safeguard the rights of journalists and, by extension, the right of the public to be informed.”
When contacted, the Zone 2 Police Command’s spokesperson, Ayuba Umma, neither confirmed nor denied the arrest.
The police spokesperson said she would make an inquiry about the case and get back to our correspondent.
“I will find out from the investigation team and get back to you,” she told our correspondent on Thursday morning.
The Accord Party has defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polling unit of former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
According to results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Accord secured 131 votes at Polling Unit 003, Ife Ward 1 (Moore), St. Gabriel Primary School, in Ife East Local Government Area.
The APC polled 85 votes to finish second, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded 10 votes. Other political parties obtained marginal votes at the polling unit.
The result adds to a series of early victories recorded by the Accord Party as INEC continues the uploading and collation of results across the state.
Earlier, Accord also won at the polling unit of former Osun Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result sheet uploaded on the IReV portal showed Accord polling 125 votes, ahead of the APC, which recorded 85 votes. The ADC secured five votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has continued to upload results from polling units across Osun State as the governorship election moves into the collation stage.
Voters across the state’s 30 local government areas cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.
The major contenders in the election include the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam.
The Accord Party has won the governorship election at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
According to the result sheet uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, Accord polled 125 votes to emerge victorious at the polling unit.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 85 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured five votes.
The African Action Congress (AAC) scored two votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each recorded one vote.
Other parties, including the AA, ADP, APGA, APM, APP, BP, NNPP and PRP, recorded no votes.
The result sheet showed that 228 voters were accredited, with 220 valid votes cast and eight rejected ballots.
The election was conducted at Court Hall I, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result comes against the backdrop of Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the election.
Oyinlola, who governed Osun State from 2003 to 2010, had publicly backed Oyebamiji despite the APC candidate running against incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The outcome at Oyinlola’s polling unit therefore puts the Accord Party ahead of the APC, with Adeleke’s party failing to secure the unit despite the incumbent governor’s participation in the election.
Voting was disrupted in Ejigbo, Osun State, after violence broke out at a polling unit during the ongoing Osun State Governorship election.
It was gathered that voters, residents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fled the polling unit as tension escalated around the area.
According to Channels TV, people were seen running in different directions while motorcycles and vehicles moved through the area as residents attempted to escape the unfolding situation.
The immediate cause of the violence was not clear, as the chaos temporarily halted the ongoing electoral process.
The incident comes as voters come out in their numbers to partake in governorship election amid tight security.
Osun Election: Accord Defeats APC in Omisore’s Polling Unit
Osun election: Oyinlola Loses Polling Unit to Accord Party
Osun election: INEC officials take to their heels as violence erupts in Ejigbo
-
News15 hours agoUS missionary kidnapped in Niger released after nine months in captivity
-
News15 hours agoAdeleke camp condemns release of APC Assembly candidate allegedly found with gun
-
News15 hours agoOsun 2026: Davido fires back at critics, says ‘I’ll be on ground before 7am’
-
News15 hours agoASUU decries unpaid 2022 salaries, demands education review
-
News15 hours ago2027: Atiku asks court to disqualify Tinubu over names, certificate controversy
-
News15 hours agoCourt remands ex-NBA chairman in DSS custody
-
Metro14 hours agoBandits abduct 14 passengers travelling from Enugu to Abuja
-
News10 hours agoOsun decides: Ahead today’s poll, police dogs deployed to combat thugs
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login