Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
The arrest and continued detention of the publisher of online news outlet, CrossRiverWatch, Mr Agba Jalingo, by the police has been criticized by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
A statement issued by the interest group demanded the immediate release of the journalist, since he has been incarcerated without being charged to court for any offence.
CPJ frowned at the “harassment of journalists reporting on alleged corruption and other issues of public interest” by Nigerian authorities.
“Nigerian authorities should immediately release Agba Jalingo and permit CrossRiverWatch journalists to cover issues in their state without harassment,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator, in New York. “The arrest and intimidation of journalists in Nigeria for their critical reporting is unacceptable, as is holding Jalingo for days without charge.”
On August 22, in Lagos, men of the dreadful Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrested Mr Jalingo. And according to Attah Ochinke, Mr Jalingo’s lawyer, and Mr Jeremiah Achibong, an editor at CrossRiverWatch, the journalist was transferred Jalingo to a detention facility in Calabar, Cross River State the next day.
Before his arrest, Mr Jalingo told CPJ over the phone that, on August 16, he was invited for questioning by police officers in Calabar over a complaint brought by the state-owned Cross River Microfinance Bank. On July 17, CrossRiverWatch had reported on alleged corruption involving the bank and the Cross River State Governor, Mr Benedict Ayade.
According to a copy of the police invitation, which CPJ reviewed, Mr Jalingo was summoned because his name was mentioned in a police investigation of “Conspiracy to cause Unrest and Conduct likely to Cause Breach of Peace, reported by the Cross River Microfinance Bank.”
The invitation requested Mr Jalingo attend an interview with Calabar police on August 19. Mr Jalingo told CPJ he informed the police that he would honor the invitation when he returned to Cross River State on August 26, but on August 22, police arrested him in Lagos.
Achibong and CrossRiverWatch reporter Ugbal Jonathan told CPJ that they believe Mr Ayade is retaliating against CrossRiverWatch for the outlet’s critical reporting. Achibong and Jonathan were both arrested in Cross River state earlier this month, according to CPJ reporting.
In a phone conversation with CPJ, Christian Ita, Mr Ayade’s spokesperson, declined to comment on CrossRiverWatch’s corruption allegations and said he read in the press that Mr Jalingo’s arrest was related to his alleged involvement in the #RevolutionNow protests, held on August 5, and denied Mr Ayade’s involvement in the arrest.
CPJ’s calls to the Cross River state police commissioner, Austin Agbonlahor, and his spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, went unanswered. A member of the board of the Microfinance Bank, Godwin Akwaji, told CPJ via phone that he was not in position to speak about the corruption allegations or the bank’s allegations against Mr Jalingo.
