SaharaReporters reported on Thursday morning that Onuorah who was whisked away by men of the Nigerian police at about 6pm, on Wednesday in the presence of his children and wife, was neither told his offence nor shown any warrant of arrest from a court.
The Enugu State Command of the Nigerian Police Force has announced that the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Globalupfront Newspaper (Online), Mr. Madu Onuorah is in its custody.
SaharaReporters reported on Thursday morning that Onuorah who was whisked away by men of the Nigerian police at about 6pm, on Wednesday in the presence of his children and wife, was neither told his offence nor shown any warrant of arrest from a court.
The former Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, and former Managing Director of The Authority Newspaper, whisked away without any trace by about ten fully-armed policemen who stormed his residence in Lugbe, Abuja, in two Sienna buses.
According to reports, his wife and children made fruitlessly efforts from the police why they were arresting the head of the family.
After arresting him, the police seized his phones, thereby completely cutting him off from communication with people, including his family members.
He was not allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was whisked away to the Lugbe police station by the stern looking operatives.
However, the Enugu police command in a statement issued on Thursday night said the editor was in its custody, insisting that he was not kidnapped.
The command in the statement signed by its spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said that Onuorah was arrested over allegation of defamatory publication against a United States-based Catholic Reverend sister.
The statement partly read: "The Enugu State Police Command is in receipt of several publications alleging the abduction of an Abuja-based online news publisher, one Madu Onuorah “m”.
"The Command wishes to state that contrary to the allegations, he was duly arrested in Abuja with the assistance of police operatives from Ebonyi State Command and the aid of intelligence, after efforts made to formally invite him failed.
"Furthermore, his arrest was following the receipt of a written petition to the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, against him over an alleged defamatory publication he made against a US-based Reverend Sister."
Ndukwe, however, quoted the State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, to have ordered the office handling the case to professionally investigate and ensure that justice prevails.
He reportedly called on the press family, particularly the leadership and members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and associates of the suspect, to exercise patience, assuring that the needful will be done in the case.