Media coalition kicks as court orders remand of journalists over ‘defamation of government’

The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned the arrest and detention of Dare Akogun, a Sobi FM reporter, and his brother, Abdulrasheed Akogun, who is also a journalist.

Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Kwara governor, reportedly wrote a petition to the commissioner of police, accusing the duo of defamation and inciting the public against the Kwara government.

Ajakaye reportedly claimed that Abdulrasheed posted a statement on WhatsApp accusing the state of being corrupt and of facilitating N15 million to prosecute the last election of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara state council.

The duo were reportedly arrested on Thursday after refusal to tender a written apology to the CPS.

The matter was taken to the Ilorin magistrates’ court on Friday, following an ex parte motion attached to the police report seeking the remand of the duo.

Saliu Bio of the magistrates’ court, thereafter, ordered the remand of the two journalists in Oke-Kura custodial centre and adjourned the matter till October 19 for further mention.

In a statement on Friday, the coalition called for the immediate release of the journalists.

“It is worthy of note that the conflict between press freedom in law and practice remains evident in Nigeria, where journalists are tagged as ‘extremists’ criminalised and detained, using legal systems to stifle them whenever they pry into the prevailing bad governance,” the statement reads.

“No other industry has been confronted with such a degree of official antagonism; and the effect is felt not only by journalists but also by their audiences; the public that deserves the right to know and to access information.

“CWPPF has condemned the detention of Dare Akogun and his brother and demands their immediate release.

“We shall continue to take the necessary measures to prevent violence against journalists and media workers and we will also fiercely demand accountability and bring perpetrators of crimes against journalists and media workers to justice.”

The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations (CSOs) focused on promoting democracy and good governance.

CWPPF members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, TheCable, Daily Trust newspaper, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), and Civic Media Lab.

Others are Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), International Press Institute, Nigeria, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resource Centre.