. IPC condemns unlawful arrest of journalists
SOME protesters against the fuel price and electricity tariff hike and journalists covering the protest have been arrested in Lagos by the operatives of Nigerian Police Force.
The four journalists arrested includes: Ifeoluwa Adediran of Premium Times; Abiodun Ayeoba of Sahara Reporters; Awoniyi Oluwatosin of Objective Media and Daniel Tanimu of Galaxy Television.
The protesters were arrested around the Ojuelegba area of Lagos on Thursday.
One of the leaders of the protesters, Hassan Soweto, said 18 persons were arrested, including four journalists.
“We have just been arrested alongside several other members of the Socialist Party of Nigeria and journalists for protesting this morning against fuel price hike, electricity tariff, and deregistration of SPN. I am typing this message at the back of a police van taking us to Area C, Police Command, Lagos,” Soweto, who is the National Youth Leader of SPN said.
In a statement, the National Organising Secretary of SPN, Dimeji Macaulay, identified those arrested as Dagga Tolar, Ayo Ademiluyi, Chinedu Bosah, Lexan Ali, Fidel Davynovich, Oluwole Engels, Soweto, and eight others.
He said, “We condemn this attack as part of the continuous descent of the country into a brutish state of military repression. It is completely unacceptable, and we enjoin all Nigerians interested in preserving this country’s hard-earned democracy to condemn this emboldened descent into a civilian-military dictatorship,”
Also, the International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos-Nigeria, said it disapproves the harassment and brutalization of the journalists in the course of legitimate duty and particularly decries the seizure and damage to their working tools.
Programme Officer/Safety Desk Officer, IPC, Melody Akinjiyan said: “IPC demands the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists. The Police should also return their seized gadgets and pay compensation for the damaged ones.
“IPC reiterates that the right to peacefully assemble and ventilate grievances over government policies is covered by the laws of the federation and should not be tampered with arbitrarily,” he stated.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, proved abortive.
