The Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed strong disapproval over the arrest of one of its members, Rowland Olonishuwa, by officers from the Police Special Fraud Unit based in Lagos. The council condemned the manner of the arrest, describing it as improper and a violation of due process.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ilorin, the Council’s Secretary, Olayinka Alaya, speaking on behalf of the Chairman, Abdullatif Ahmed, stated that Olonishuwa’s arrest, allegedly linked to a recent publication by several online news platforms, was carried out without appropriate notification or coordination with the local police authorities in Kwara.
“Olonishuwa, a member of the Herald Chapel of the Kwara NUJ, was forcibly taken from his residence along Asa Dam Road in Ilorin on Wednesday by detectives from Lagos. Upon receiving news of this arrest, the leadership of the Kwara NUJ Council immediately reached out to the state’s police command to gather information. However, the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed that the command had no prior knowledge of the operation, nor had it been informed of any planned intervention involving officers from Lagos,” Alaya explained.
The NUJ expressed serious concern about the secretive nature of the arrest, calling it a breach of legal norms. “Arresting a journalist without any collaboration with the state police command raises serious concerns about the respect for due process. It also suggests a worrisome pattern of intimidation against members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm,” Alaya added.
In response to this development, the council promptly notified the leadership of the NUJ’s Lagos State Council, calling for their immediate intervention.
“We have issued a call for the swift release of Mr. Olonishuwa and demanded an explanation for the involvement of Lagos-based detectives in an arrest far outside their jurisdiction,” Alaya said.
The council also raised alarm over similar arrests in Lagos and Abeokuta, particularly involving other publishers, which it described as part of a possible coordinated effort to stifle press freedom.
“As a union whose duties are safeguarded under Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), we will not tolerate any form of harassment, intimidation, or illegal detention of journalists, especially when such actions blatantly disregard the rule of law and infringe on fundamental human rights,” the NUJ stated.
Mr. Alaya further disclosed that the council had extended emotional support to Olonishuwa’s family, reassuring them that every legal avenue would be explored to secure his immediate release. “The Kwara NUJ remains committed to the protection of press freedom and the safety of all its members,” he reiterated.
The Council called on the Nigeria Police Force to address the situation swiftly, emphasizing that such actions undermine the vital role of the press in a democracy.
“This incident serves as a reminder to state actors that the press is not an adversary but an essential pillar in upholding democratic governance,” Alaya concluded.
