Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, is currently leading journalists and civil rights activists in a protest at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja demanding for the release of a Nigerian journalist, Daniel Ojukwu who has been in detention since May 1 when he was arrested over an investigative report.
Ojukwu, a reporter with Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was arrested on May 1 in connection with an investigative report of an alleged financial mismanagement in the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
In the report, FIJ had reported how a sum of N147.1m reportedly meant for the building of classrooms and a skill acquisition centre was allegedly sent to the account of a restaurant.
Following a petition by office of the SSA, Ojukwu was arrested on charges of cybercrime and despite outcry by Nigerians and human rights activists, all efforts to get him released have met a brick wall.
READ ALSO:‘Order from above’: Why police can’t release detained journalist, Daniel Ojukwu —Sowore
In his post on X on Thursday, Sowore said he is leading the protests to force the police to release the journalist who is in detention despite being granted bail by a competent court.
Another journalist at the protest ground, Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program, said:
“Nigerian authorities must promptly and unconditionally release journalist Daniel Ojukwu and stop harassing and detaining journalists who publish investigative reports into corruption.
#FreeDanielOjukwu
#JournalismNotCybercrime
We are now at the Nigeria Police Force @policeng headquarters for #FreeDanielOjukwu protest pic.twitter.com/EaQYergcS4
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) May 9, 2024
The post Sowore leads protest at Police HQ to demand release of detained journalist, Ojukwu (Video) appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
