NUJ, IPC Obtain Police Apology for Journalist's Arrest

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Press Centre (IPC) obtained an apology from the Osun State Police Command regarding the arrest of journalist Olalekan Akindoju. The incident occurred in the early hours of June 11, when Akindoju, who works for Rave 91.7 FM, was detained by armed police officers while he was asleep at his residence in Osogbo.

The officers, who identified themselves as police, ignored Akindoju's explanations and disregarded his official journalist identification card, which was subsequently confiscated. After several hours in custody at the Osun State Police Command headquarters, Akindoju was released following interventions from the NUJ and other stakeholders.

The police later clarified that the arrest was a case of mistaken identity related to an operation targeting suspects in the area. The NUJ condemned the arrest as unacceptable and demanded a public apology, while the IPC called for measures to protect journalists from harassment and unlawful arrests.