The Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the arrest of Mr Rowland Olonishuwa, a journalist with Herald Newspapers.
Olonishuwa was forcefully taken away from his residence along Asa-Dam Road, Ilorin, Wednesday morning by detectives of the Special Fraud Unit of the Police from Lagos State.
The arrest is connected to a recent story published on some online news platforms, according to a statement in Ilorin on Thursday by the NUJ state Secretary, Mahmood Olayinka Alaya.
The statement said upon receiving report of the incident Wednesday morning, the leadership of the Kwara NUJ Council immediately swung into action, reaching out to the Kwara State Police Command to inquire about the arrest.
“In a conversation with the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, it was confirmed that the Kwara State Police Command was unaware of the operation and had not been informed of any planned activities involving officers from Lagos.
“The Kwara NUJ Council finds this situation deeply troubling, as the secretive nature of the arrest violates proper legal and procedural norms.
“Arresting a journalist without prior notification or collaboration with the state police command not only raises concerns about the respect for due process but also lends credence to a disturbing trend of intimidation toward members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
“In response to this development, the Kwara NUJ Council Wednesday morning informed the leadership of the Lagos State NUJ Council, seeking their immediate intervention.
“A call for the swift release of Mr Olonishuwa has been issued, along with a demand for an explanation regarding the involvement of Lagos-based security operatives in an arrest conducted far outside their jurisdiction.
“As a union whose responsibility is enshrined in the Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), we will not condone any form of intimidation, harassment, or illegal detention of Journalists, especially when such actions are carried out with utter disregard for the rule of law and fundamental human rights.
“In solidarity with the affected family, representatives from Kwara NUJ Council reached out to Mr Olonishuwa’s home, offering emotional support and assuring them that every legal measure will be pursued to secure his freedom,” parts of the statement read.
