The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has urged the Inspector General of Police to stop the Cybercrime Act, 2015, from being used to harass and arbitrarily detain journalists and media workers.
This call came in response to the reported arrest and continued detention of Mr. Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Act by the Nigeria Police.
In a statement signed by Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation Development (CJID), the coalition expressed dismay that Ojukwu’s family only learned on Friday, May 3, 2024, that he was being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos.
The coalition condemned the arrest, describing it as a violation of Ojukwu’s fundamental human rights and an attack on press freedom.
“We call on the Nigerian police to immediately release Mr. Daniel Ojukwu and follow legal procedures in engaging with him,” the coalition emphasized.
The statement further urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the Cybercrime Act, 2015, is not used as a tool to harass and arbitrarily detain journalists and media workers.
It cited past instances where the law was misused to criminalize journalism and suppress press freedom.
“Journalism plays a crucial role in democracy, and such actions are detrimental to its fundamental principles,” the statement concluded.
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