The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun was angry upon learning about the arrest and detention of a journalist, Sodeeq Atanda, in Lagos, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed in an X post on Tuesday.
The police image-maker added that the IGP ordered sanctions against the head of a police unit responsible for the journalist’s ordeal.

Atanda, a Senior Reporter with Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was reportedly handcuffed and detained by police after his wife and nine-month-old baby were used as bait.

The FIJ reported that Atanda’s wife, Adenike, was arrested on Monday evening in Owutu, Ikorodu area, after officers attached to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, Lagos Annex, tracked them to their neighbourhood.

Activist and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore alleged that the police acted on a petition by a fraud suspect to harass the journalist and his family. In an X post on Monday night, Sowore said, “They forced the wife to call Atanda, falsely claiming that their child was sick and that they were at the hospital.

“When Atanda rushed over in panic, he was immediately handcuffed and detained.

“Even more alarming was the brazen admission by the Investigating Police Officer that it was the complainant (who was subject of a fraud reporting) who paid private individuals to track down Atanda’s family by phone, after which his wife and infant were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force. The officers stated this casually, without shame or restraint, as though kidnapping civilians, including a baby, has become standard police procedure.”

Responding, Hundeyin clarified that the IGP had no inkling of the case and was miffed when informed.

He faulted the activist for dragging the police boss into the matter. Hundeyin said, “Inasmuch as you might want your depiction of the IGP to be true, it isn’t.

“I was with him last night when Mojeed Musikilu of the International Press Institute reached out to me about the arrest.

“I promptly informed the IGP, and he was miffed. You might choose to believe I am making this up, but it is the truth. He directed that the head of the unit (not a DPO as you claimed) be contacted to release the journalist immediately.

“I updated Mojeed accordingly. The IGP was particularly angry that this came up at a time when the Police had pledged and are taking tangible steps to ensure press freedom. He equally ordered that the head of that unit be sanctioned for his conduct.”

Hundeyin added that the IGP would not condone any setback to police support for press freedom.

The sun