The Abuja council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has berated the police over the arrest of Madu Onuorah, publisher and editor-in-chief of Globalupfront Newspaper.
On Wednesday, armed police officers besieged Onuorah’s residence in the Lugbe area of Abuja around 6pm.
The management of the online newspaper said the police seized the editor’s phones, and denied him access to his lawyer and relatives, after “dumping” him at the Lugbe police station.
In a statement on Thursday, NUJ said it condemned the “commando-like raiding” of Onuorah’s home, adding that the police did not adhere to the provisions of the constitution.
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“While we are not averse to the right of citizens seeking redress over legitimate infringement on their rights, we believe that constitutional means should be strictly adhered to in doing this,” the statement reads.
“The manner of arrest leaves much to be desired from a legitimate force of the State, the Nigeria Police which should have been civil instead of intimidating and forcefully whisking away Mr. Onuorah in a manner akin to kidnapping.
“We condemn this total abuse of power laced with intimidation and demand the immediate release of Mr Madu Onuorah, Editor of the Conclave newspaper, an online platform.
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“The former bureau chief of the Guardian newspaper and managing director of the Authority Newspaper is a thoroughbred professional.”
The union said it would not stop holding the government and its institutions accountable.
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