The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has condemned the recent arrest and detention of four journalists working with Leadership Newspapers by the police headquarters, Abuja.
The journalists – Group News Editor of Leadership Newspapers Group, Mr. Tony Amoekedo, and correspondent, Chibuzo Ukaibe, alongside two others, were initially detained by the police, but two were released on Monday and the remaining two released around 5 pm on Tuesday.
The newspaper, on Monday, said that the police insisted the journalists disclose their source(s) for a story the presidency claims to be false which the newspaper insists it stands on.
However, Police spokesman, Frank Mba said last night that “the remaining journalists have been released and they have re-united with their families. But investigation continues.”
A statement by NPAN secretary Comfort Obi said “we are concerned and worried because we had thought that by now, the police and other similar organs of state, would have weaned themselves of the carry-over of military mentality of intimidation, harassment and arrest of journalists.
“We had thought that at this stage of our democratic evolution, agents of the state would have imbibed and thoroughly schooled themselves in the time honoured principles of civility and recourse to the rule of law, which are core elements in any democracy,” the statement said.
