ICIR Next As Police Continue ‘Cyberstalking’ Onslaught Against Online Newspapers

The cybercrime centre also invited the ‘managing directors’ of the media platform, accusing them of cyberstalking.

By Sodeeq Atanda, FIJ

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has invited Nurudeen Yahaya Akewushola, a reporter with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), following a report detailing how past police bosses used their offices for official corruption.

The cybercrime centre also invited the ‘managing directors’ of the media platform, accusing them of cyberstalking.

However, in a statement it released on Thursday, the management of the ICIR pointed out some irregularities in the invitation letter, saying until those lapses are fixed, it would not honour the invitation.

The NPF-NCCC dated its letter April 16, and asked the journalist and the media outlet to present themselves at its office on April 24. However, the letter was only delivered on Wednesday, May 15, more than three weeks after the invitation should have been honored!

ICIR’S FULL STATEMENT

CONCERNS OVER BY POLICE CYBERCRIME CRIME CENTRE INVITATION TO ICIR JOURNALIST

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) is concerned about letters of invitation addressed to one of its reporters, Nurudeen Yahaya Akewushola, and its “Managing Directors” by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.

The letters dated April 16, 2024, was delivered at the ICIR’s office on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. However, curiously, the Police in the letter, signed by a Commissioner of Police, Uche Ifeanyi Henry, the Centre’s Director, requested that the reporter and directors appear at its Abuja offices on Wednesday, April 24.

Part of the letter reads, ‘The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre is investigating a case of cyberstalking and defamation of character in which the above-named person featured prominently.

‘In view of the above, you are requested to interview the Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) plot 625 Mission Road, Diplomatic Zone, Central Business District, Abuja through CSP Omaka Udodinma Chukwu on Wednesday 24th April 2024. Call 08067854241 on your arrival.

‘Your cooperation in this regard will be highly appreciated, please.’

The ICIR has the following concerns over this invitation:

1. The Police did not provide any details of the petition leading to its investigation on “Cyberstalking and defamation of character,” which would have enabled the Centre and its reporter to prepare for an interview.
2. The invitation was received by the ICIR on Wednesday, May 15 whereas the reporter and directors were expected to have reported to the Centre on April 24, several weeks before the invitation was received.
3. The ICIR is also concerned about the invitation because of an emerging trend of harassment and crackdown on journalists in Nigeria by the nation’s security apparatus using the Cyber Crimes Act, a legislation that has been amended to make it impossible for it to be misused in harassing the media and civic actors, as has been done in the past.

In the past weeks, at least two journalists have mysteriously disappeared from their homes, only to be discovered later that they were arrested by the nation’s security agencies for “cyberstalking.”

Segun Olatunji was abducted from his residence in Lagos State by armed men in military uniform on Friday, March 15, and his whereabouts were kept secret for nearly two weeks. It was later discovered that the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, NIA, was holding him for an investigative report published by his newspaper.

Similarly, a Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ reporter, Daniel Ojukwu was arrested by the police in Lagos on May 1 by officials of the Intelligence Response Team (RT) of the Inspector-General of Police. He was unlawfully detained for ten days before being released.

4. The ICIR is also concerned about the invitation because it has reasonable cause to believe it is related to an investigative report done by Nurudeen Akewushola, the reporter who has been invited the the Cybercrime Centre, and recently published by the ICIR. The report indicted two former Inspectors General of Police of corruption. One of the two former IGPs threatened the ICIR with a lawsuit and was rebuffed. We believe that the same person is now using the Police, which should be interested in holding him to account on the basis of our reporting, to harass our reporter.

As a law-abiding organization that holds power to account, we are always willing to submit to accountability and would honour lawful invitations from law enforcement agencies but we have written to the Police to provide details of the petition against the ICIR and its reporter and write a new invitation letter before we honor the invitation.