Nigerian police raid local news website, reporters held

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Nigerian security forces on Thursday raided the office of a prominent local online news platform and arrested at least two of its journalists, said the platform.

Premium Times' publisher Dapo Olorunyomi was arrested along with Evelyn Okakwu, the website’s judiciary reporter.

“Plain-clothed officers conducted search at our office shortly after 5 p.m. [1600GMT] Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai,” according to a statement published on its website.

“The arrests came days after PREMIUM TIMES turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations,” it added.

The raid and the arrests came days after the army accused Premium Times of allegedly publishing falsehood against its operations and chief, threatening a lawsuit unless the online platform retracts some of its reports. The platform rejected the accusation, and said the army was trying to gag the media.

Amnesty International condemned the raid and the arrest in a short statement on Thursday.

“Nigerian security should ensure that they release Dapo Olorunyomi and Evelyn Okakwu or charge them to court immediately. We are calling on the authorities to ensure that the two journalists are granted access to their lawyers and families,” Amnesty International said in a statement on its tweeter handle.