The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned the alleged assault of Sunday Michael Ogwu, Editor of Pinnacle Daily, by police officers attached to the Lugbe Police Division in Abuja.
The coalition said Ogwu was beaten with an electric cable, harassed, briefly detained, and had his mobile phone damaged while covering a demolition exercise at the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate.
According to an account shared with CWPPF, the incident happened at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, when Ogwu was taking a walk around the area and came across a joint demolition operation involving police officers and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).
Journalist allegedly beaten while recording demolition
CWPPF said Ogwu brought out his phone to document the operation when a police officer allegedly snatched the device from him.
The coalition said Ogwu repeatedly identified himself as a journalist and tried to speak with the team leader, but the officers allegedly surrounded him and ordered him to enter one of their patrol vans.
When he refused, saying he was a journalist and had committed no crime, CWPPF said he was allegedly flogged with an electric cable on the instruction of the officer in charge.
His phone was later returned and he was told to leave the area.
However, according to the coalition, Ogwu moved about 100 metres away and began recording a video of what had happened while trying to send a distress message to his media organisation.
The officers allegedly saw him recording and chased him back to the demolition site.
CWPPF said Ogwu was beaten for a second time, with the officer in charge allegedly ordering the assault and saying the first beating “was not enough.”
The coalition said the assault caused physical injuries and severely damaged Ogwu’s phone before passersby intervened and urged him to leave.
‘Journalism is not a crime’
Reacting to the incident, CWPPF described the alleged treatment of Ogwu as unacceptable and said journalists should not be attacked for documenting public operations.
“Documenting public operations conducted by state agents is a constitutionally protected right, not a criminal offence,” the coalition said.
It added that it was particularly disturbing that police officers, whose responsibility is to protect lives and enforce the law, would allegedly use an electric cable against a journalist carrying out his professional duties.
CWPPF said the incident also raises fresh concerns about the safety of journalists and respect for press freedom in Nigeria.
“Journalism is not a crime and the duty of the press to hold public institutions accountable is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution,” the coalition said.
CWPPF demands action from police authorities
The coalition called on Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the FCT Police Command to order an immediate and transparent investigation into the incident.
It wants the police and VGN personnel allegedly involved to be identified and disciplined where found culpable.
CWPPF also demanded full compensation for Ogwu’s damaged phone, payment of his medical expenses and a formal apology to the journalist and the management of Pinnacle Daily.
The coalition further called on police authorities to direct divisions across the Federal Capital Territory to stop the harassment, intimidation and physical assault of journalists covering public events.
Media and civil society groups back press freedom
CWPPF said it remains committed to ensuring that journalists can carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or retaliation.
The coalition is made up of media and civil society organisations, journalism bodies and law firms working to promote press freedom, freedom of expression, whistleblower protection, democracy and good governance.
Its member organisations are Premium Times, Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Press Centre (IPC), International Press Institute (IPI), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), HEDA Resources Centre, WikkiTimes, Global Rights, Dataphyte Foundation, Accountability Lab Nigeria, FOLEGAL, Women Radio 91.7 FM, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, BUK TV & RADIO, The Jurist Newspaper Limited, Freedom Radio, Kano, Citizens Gavel Foundation for Social Justice, Hope Behind Bars Africa, Digicivic Initiative, and Pinnacle Daily.
The statement was signed by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) on behalf of CWPPF on August 20, 2026.
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