The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Nigeria, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub, condemns the unlawful detention of Sodeeq Atanda, a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Ado-Ekiti.

Information reaching the IPC-SPJ Hub indicates that “the Police had summoned Atanda based on a petition by Abayomi Fasina, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), alleging cyberbullying, blackmail, and criminal defamation.”

Further information reveals that “Atanda was detained at the headquarters of the Ekiti State Police Command for over eight (8) hours, on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, after honouring the invitation.

He was also subjected to inhumane treatment by Police officers, who forced him to walk barefoot within the premises of the Police headquarters and imposed stringent bail conditions.”

In a statement, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said: “This action by the Police is clearly an attempt to further stifle press freedom and intimidate journalists reporting issues of public interest.”

Mr. Arogundade further added: “The Police should desist from being used by elites to harass, arrest, and detain journalists. Instead, they should uphold the tenets of democracy.”

The SPJ Hub is also calling on the Kano State Police Command to desist from intimidating and harassing Abdulaziz Aliyu, a reporter with Waraka Online TV, who has been repeatedly maltreated and was detained over a publication.

Yakubu Salisu, Chairman of the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ), confirmed this incident to our Press Freedom Officer, stating that “Abdulaziz Aliyu was detained over a story he published some months ago.”

The SPJ Hub reiterates that if the Police have issues with published reports or with concerned journalists, the appropriate and lawful processes should be followed to seek redress, rather than resorting to constant acts of intimidation and self-help.