The Nigeria Police Force has moved to sanction the head of a specialised unit following the arrest of a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Sodeeq Atanda, an incident that has reignited concerns about press freedom and police conduct in Nigeria.
The arrest, which occurred in Lagos on Monday, drew swift public backlash after details emerged that Atanda’s wife and nine month old child were detained and allegedly used to lure him into police custody. According to information released by the police and confirmed by multiple media and civil society sources, officers attached to the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit apprehended Atanda’s wife, Adenike, and their infant in Ikorodu. She was reportedly compelled to call her husband under the pretence that their child needed urgent medical care.
When Atanda arrived, he was handcuffed and taken to the Force Headquarters in Obalende. He was released later that night alongside his family.
Reacting to the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate release of the journalist and directed that the head of the unit involved be sanctioned. Hundeyin disclosed this in a statement posted on his verified X account on Tuesday, noting that the IGP only became aware of the arrest after being contacted by the International Press Institute.
According to Hundeyin, Egbetokun was “miffed” by the development and considered it a direct contradiction of the police leadership’s stated commitment to protecting press freedom. He added that the officer in charge of the unit would face disciplinary action for authorising the arrest.
Read Also: NYSC Mourns Ex-DG Sofoluwe
The publisher and editor in chief of FIJ, Fisayo Soyombo, confirmed Atanda’s arrest and release, stating that the action was linked to an investigative report published by the organisation. While details of the investigation were not disclosed, Soyombo described the arrest as an attempt to intimidate journalists and suppress accountability reporting.
Civil rights advocates and media practitioners have described the episode as part of a wider pattern of harassment of journalists by security agencies. Sahara Reporters publisher and activist, Omoyele Sowore, criticised the police tactics as disturbing, accusing security operatives of collaborating with private interests to intimidate journalists and undermine civil liberties.
Data from media rights organisations supports these concerns. An editorial published by The PUNCH in 2024, drawing from verified legal records and press freedom reports, revealed that at least 25 journalists have faced prosecution under Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act since its enactment. Eight of those cases occurred under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu. Under the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari, journalists such as Jones Abiri, Agba Jalingo and Sowore were detained for extended periods, attracting local and international condemnation.
Nigeria is currently ranked 112th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, reflecting persistent challenges ranging from legal intimidation to arbitrary arrests. The organisation notes that while Nigeria has a vibrant media space, journalists often operate under pressure from state and non state actors.
The police leadership has repeatedly stated its intention to rebuild public trust and align policing practices with democratic standards. In his response, Hundeyin emphasised that the sanctioning of the unit head was meant to demonstrate that abuses would not be tolerated, particularly in cases involving journalists.
The Atanda incident has once again placed the spotlight on the balance between law enforcement powers and constitutional guarantees of free expression. Media organisations and rights groups have called for transparent disciplinary proceedings and institutional reforms to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
