CWPPF Condemns Unlawful Arrest, Assault and Detention of Journalist Kasarachi Aniagolu While on Duty

23rd February 2024 – The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) strongly condemns the recent attack on Ms.Kasarachi Aniagolu, a reporter of The Whistler newspaper by men of the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.  

According to a press statement issued by The Whistler, Ms. Kasarachi Aniagolu was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force operating within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while covering a raid on Bureau De Change operators in Wuse Zone 4 area of the FCT. 

Despite identifying herself as a journalist, Ms. Kasarachi was manhandled, threatened and her equipment confiscated. She was taken into custody and held for several hours at the Anti-Violence Crime Unit  (former SARS office) in Guzape.

While Ms. Kasarachi is reported to have been released after more than eight hours of detention, the CWPPF is utterly disturbed about the facts of her arrest, harassment and unlawful detention. Journalists must be allowed their constitutional rights to carry out their work without fear of harassment, intimidation, or arrest.

We call on the Nigerian Police force to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the arrest and detention of Ms Kasarachi Aniagolu and ensure that those responsible for violating her fundamental human rights and press freedom are brought to book. 

We also join The Whistler newspaper to demand an apology from the Nigerian police force and call for protection of journalists in the course of performing their lawful duties. 

Signed

Busola Ajibola,

Deputy Director, CJID.

For:

CWPPF members

Premium Times

The Cable 

Daily Trust Newspaper

International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR)

Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)

Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID)

African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)

Civic Media Lab

Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC)

International Press Centre (IPC)

International Press Institute (IPI)

Media Rights Agenda (MRA)

Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)

Paradigm Initiative

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)

HEDA Resources Centre.

The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom.