The Osun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of its State Secretary, Mr. Olalekan Akindoju, by officers of the Nigeria Police Force. In a fiery statement, the council described the incident as a disturbing assault on press freedom and an unacceptable breach of fundamental human rights.
Mr. Akindoju, who serves as the Head of News and Current Affairs at Rave 91.7FM/WSTV, was tracked down and apprehended by armed operatives in the early hours of Thursday. While he was eventually released following high-level interventions, the union maintains that the aggressive tactics used by the police have caused severe emotional distress and reputational damage to the journalist.
The Dawn Raid and Brutal Arrest
The troubling ordeal began around 6:00 AM at Akindoju’s residence in Osogbo, where five heavily armed officers from the Police Response Unit (PRU) breached his compound. According to the victim, the operatives scaled his fence before aggressively banging on his metal door. Despite identifying himself as a journalist and presenting his official credentials, the officers refused to listen, forcefully confiscating his identification card and mobile phone.
“I properly introduced myself. I showed them my ID card. They snatched it and my phone and were not ready to listen to me,” Akindoju recounted.“They tightly handcuffed my hand with another man they had arrested. They refused to unhook my hand for hours. I am still feeling pain in my wrist and am psychologically affected.”
The journalist was subsequently paraded out of his compound in cuffs a public spectacle that he fears has tarnished his standing among his neighbors. Akindoju was then driven to the State Police Headquarters, where he was detained for hours while his colleagues scrambled to locate his whereabouts.
Mistaken Identity and Forceful Statements
When management from Rave FM and the NUJ finally tracked Akindoju down with the assistance of the police public relations team, security operatives brushed off the heavy-handed arrest as a routine sweep. Officers claimed they were simply conducting an investigation in the neighborhood and looking for “some boys,” failing to justify why a clearly identified media professional was treated like a fugitive.
“When my organisation located me and asked the officers what my offence was, they simply said they were doing an investigation in our area,” Akindoju explained.“I asked them if I looked like one of those they were looking for because I introduced myself to them. They made me write a statement, compelling me to give them information about my neighbours.”
Akindoju, who was released just before noon, revealed that the psychological trauma of the raid has left him deeply shaken, noting that the aggressive tactics have sent a damaging, false signal to his co-occupants and community members regarding his character.
NUJ Demands Apology and Accountability
Reacting to the development, a statement signed by the Chairman of the NUJ Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, slammed the police for failing to conduct proper due diligence. While the council acknowledged the timely intervention of Osun Police Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan and Police PRO DSP Abiodun Ojelabi in securing Akindoju’s release, it insisted that the trauma could have been entirely avoided.
The council has formally demanded an unreserved public apology from the Nigeria Police Force, directed to Mr. Akindoju, his family, his employers at Rave 91.7FM/WSTV, and the wider journalism profession. The NUJ emphasized that security agencies must prioritize thorough investigations over arbitrary arrests that infringe upon the dignity of law-abiding citizens.
When contacted for an official response regarding the heavy-handed tactics used by the operatives, the Osun State Police Command declined to comment. Command spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi deflected inquiries, stating, “If you don’t mind, you can call him (Akindoju). He will explain better to you.”
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