Police officers on Thursday morning arrested Olalekan Akindoju, Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Council, at his residence in Osogbo. The arrest has sparked concerns among journalists and media stakeholders in the state.
NUJ Osun State Council Chairman, Adeyemi Aboderin, confirmed the incident in a notice shared on the union’s official WhatsApp platform. He said Akindoju’s apartment was raided by policemen and he was taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Osogbo.
Aboderin said the reason for the arrest was yet to be ascertained. “Yet to ascertain the reason. I have gotten in touch with the PPRO. Reason for arrest not yet ascertained,” he told reporters.
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Daniel Odeyemi, Chairman of the Rave FM Chapel where Akindoju is a member, also confirmed the arrest. He said Akindoju called the Head of Station Thursday morning to report that police officers had stormed his house and were taking him to the state CID.
According to Odeyemi, the Chief Executive Officer of Rave FM, Femi Adefila, had gone to the Osun State Police Command headquarters over the matter. Akindoju’s whereabouts were initially unknown as authorities at the command headquarters claimed not to be aware of his location.
In a later update, Aboderin said the union had tracked Akindoju to the cells of the Police PRU unit at the Police Headquarters in Osogbo. He suggested the arrest may have been a case of mistaken identity and said efforts were ongoing for his immediate release.
The Osun State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the arrest as of press time. The circumstances surrounding Akindoju’s detention remain unclear.
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