Illegal detention of Ogundipe

Our attention in the Legal Minds for Good Governance Initiative has been drawn to the illegal and unconstitutional detention of Premium Times Security Sector reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, by the security agents said to belong to the Nigeria Police on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. He is still held in confinement till now.

It is appalling to know that the unlawful detention is a resultant effect of a story published by the online newspaper on a correspondence between the Inspector General of Police and acting President Yemi Osinbajo, which the police want the reporter to disclose his source.

LMGGI totally condemns this punitive act of the police who are, by law, meant to protect the people. This is done, despite the earlier detention of the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Muskilu Mojeed, and the Education Reporter, Azeezat Adedigba, on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, both now released.

We see this as a method to whimsically gag the media, which is a gross violation of the press freedom and a dangerous threat to our democracy.

We bring to the notice of the media, international organisations and the general public that Section 15(C) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 confers on the media ‘Journalism Confidentiality Privileges’ which include but not limited to the right to confidentiality of sources.

Also, there are a plethora of empirical precedents that give backing to this law. See Oyegbami V. A.G.F(1982) 4 NWLR 895; Innocent Adikwu V. Federal House of Reps.(1982) NCLR 394; Senate V. Tony Momoh(1983) 4 NCLR 209.

Pursuant to this, the arrest and the continued illegal detention of the concerned journalist are totally condemned and unjustifiable. Hence, we demand his immediate release.

Festus Ogun, Convener; and ‘Yinka Oyesomi, Secretary-General, Legal Minds for Good Governance.



























































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