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October 4, 2022
The IPC in a statement by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Lawal, described Ozuruigbo’s arrest and detention as a shocking, unbelievable act by the police while calling on the governor to as a matter of urgency, constitute an investigative panel of inquiry into the circumstances that led to the journalist’s arrest, detention and physical brutal assault.
The International Press Centre (IPC), a media rights advocacy centre, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to promptly intervene in the arrest and inhuman treatment of a Lagos-based journalist, Casmir Ozuruigbo by some policemen in the state.
The IPC in a statement by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Lawal, described Ozuruigbo’s arrest and detention as a shocking, unbelievable act by the police while calling on the governor to as a matter of urgency, constitute an investigative panel of inquiry into the circumstances that led to the journalist’s arrest, detention and physical brutal assault.
According to the Centre, Ozuruigbo was arrested by a group of police officers and reportedly subjected to inhuman treatment between midnight of Sunday and the early hours of Monday in the Oshodi area of Lagos.
In a distress message sent to IPC at about 6pm on Monday, the journalist said, “I was manhandled by police last night.”
At 9.53p.m, he sent another message on the injury inflicted on him saying, “I’m just walking out of the surgical emergency department of LASUTH where I went to run some tests. The two tympanic membranes of my ear are totally torn from the beating and punching I got on my ear. I’m bleeding from the ear right now.”
Calling for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s intervention, the Centre wrote, “The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos–Nigeria has made a passionate appeal to the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, to immediately intervene in the matter between journalist Casmir Ozuruigbo and a group of police officers who reportedly subjected him to shocking and unbelievable inhuman treatment between midnight on Sunday October 2, 2022 and the early hours of Monday October 3, 2022, in Oshodi area of Lagos.
“IPC wants the Governor to exercise his authority as the Chief Security Officer of the State to direct or advise the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Alabi, to promptly constitute an investigative panel of inquiry into the circumstances that led to the molestation of the journalist by his personnel so that the alleged perpetrators could be brought to immediate justice.
“It is a matter of grave concern that a citizen could be molested with such a level of impunity, leading to life threatening injuries.
“In his personal account to IPC, Journalist Ozuruigbo said he was picked by policemen from Akinpelu Police Station, Bolade, Oshodi at about midnight on Sunday October 2, 2022, for the alleged offence of “moving in the night”.
“Journalist Ozuruigbo also alleged that neither the policemen who arrested him nor the DPO of Akinpelu Police Station gave him the opportunity to identify himself why he believed they were offended because he insisted on speaking with his lawyer before making a statement.
“IPC totally condemns the abominable act by the security operatives and hopes the alleged perpetrators will be made to face the consequences of their unwelcome actions.”