This incident has sparked concerns among journalists and civil society organizations about the increasing use of law enforcement tactics to intimidate members of the press, particularly those involved in accountability journalism.
By The Converseer
In a move that has raised concerns of possible harassment, the publisher of The Converseer, a prominent media outlet in the Southern region of Nigeria, Mr Frank Ulom was summoned by the Anti-Vice Unit of the Zone 6 Police Command in Calabar. The police, led by Inspector Mentus, claimed that the publisher’s phone line had been cloned and was allegedly being used in fraudulent activities.
Inspector Mentus suggested that someone had used the publisher’s phone number to defraud unsuspecting victims, claiming that when the fraudster made calls, the publisher’s details were displayed instead of the actual perpetrator’s.
“We received a complaint with your phone number, and upon investigation with network providers, we found that someone cloned your line and is using it for fraud. What happens is, when they call the victim, your details show up,” Inspector Mentus told the publisher, adding that the police discovered the publisher had allegedly been in communication with the fraudster.
However, the tone of the invitation and how the case was presented have raised suspicions of an attempt to intimidate the publisher, particularly given the vague nature of the allegations. Despite mentioning that they did not believe the publisher was directly involved, Inspector Mentus continued to insist that the line was being used for fraud, subtly pressuring the publisher to cooperate.
“There’s a code linked to your line, and it’s being used to defraud people,” Inspector Mentus said, while also admitting, “I don’t think you can do that.”
While the police have stated that they are coordinating with network providers to trace the alleged cloning, the circumstances of the invitation and the way it was handled have left the publisher questioning whether this is a genuine investigation or an attempt to stifle press freedom.
This incident has sparked concerns among journalists and civil society organizations about the increasing use of law enforcement tactics to intimidate members of the press, particularly those involved in accountability journalism.
The Converseer publisher has vowed to cooperate with the authorities but remains wary of the motivations behind the police action, given the growing trend of police using accusations to harass media personnel.