The International Press (IPC) has frowned at the arrest and detention of Sodeeq Atanda, a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) and a Kano-based journalist, Abdulaziz Aliyu.
Police had summoned Atanda based on a petition by Abayomi Fasina, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), complaining of cyberbullying, blackmail and criminal defamation, but later detained him on Tuesday.
Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement on Thursday, described the police action as a clear attempt to stifle press freedom and intimidate journalists reporting issues of public interest.
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He said: “The International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos-Nigeria, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) hub condemns the unlawful detention of Sodeeq Atanda, a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Ado-Ekiti.
“Information reaching IPC-SPJ Hub states that, “the Police had summoned Atanda based on a petition by Abayomi Fasina, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), complaining of cyberbullying, blackmail and criminal defamation.”
“Atanda was detained at the headquarters of the Ekiti State Police Command for over eight (8) hours, on the orders of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, upon honouring the invitation. He was also subjected to inhumane treatments by the Police officers who forced him to walk barefoot in the premises of the Police headquarters and gave him stringent bail conditions.
“This action by the Police is clearly an attempt to further stifle press freedom and intimidate journalists reporting issues of public interest.
“The Police should desist from being used by elites to assault, arrest and detain journalists, instead they should uphold the tenets of democracy.
“SPJ-Hub is also calling on the Kano State Police Command to desist from intimidating and harassing Abdulaziz Aliyu, a reporter with Waraka Online TV, who has been constantly maltreated and was detained over a publication.” Mr. Arogundade stated
He disclosed that Yakubu Salisu, Chairman of the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) confirmed Atanda’s Press Freedom Officer, stating that, “Abdulaziz Aliyu was detained over a story he published some months back.”
SPJ-Hub reiterates that if the Police have issues with stories published or with the concerned journalists, the right and lawful process should be taken to seek redress instead of constant self-help.