Warri – Security operatives suspected to be from the Warri Area Command of the Nigeria Police have released give journalists several hours after they were picked up from the Press Centre of the Warri Correspondents Chapel in Warri, Delta State over a undisclosed offence.
The five arrested journalists are:Mr Edeki Igafe of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Matthew Omonigho of Daily Post and Mr Francis Sadhere of BusinessDay, Christopher Odama, and Onyeka Meluwa of the Punch newspaper.
Mr Omonigho of the Daily Post was picked up by the security operatives from the press centre located at Gbiaye Street in Warri at about 4:30p.m in a commando style.
Thereafter, the other three journalists, Mr Igafe and Mr Sadhere, both Financial Secretary and Auditor of the chapel, including other members of Union who were detailed by the Chapel to check on their arrested colleague at the Warri Area Command, were also reportedly slammed behind the bars without stating their offences contrary to the position of Section 6(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Meanwhile, efforts were on by the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to reach the Warri Area Commander, Mr Muhammed Garba and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammed Inuwa, on the development.
The detained pressmem were later left off the hook at about 11pm.
The chairman of the Warri NUJ, Mr. Okies Vicky, confirmed the release of the five journalists but added that they were released after the detective obtained statement from them.
