Samuel Ogundipe
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate release of detained Premium Times reporter Samuel Ogundipe.
The journalist was arrested and detained by the Nigerian police on Tuesday, 14 August, 2018.
The PDP said the continued detention of Ogundipe was against the reporter’s fundamental human right to freedom as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party also condemned the alleged denial of personal freedom and manhandling of the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, by the police.
The party said, “The incessant clampdown on journalists and media houses by the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is completely unacceptable in a democracy and only reminiscent of military Decree 4 of 1984 that empowers then dictatorial regime to arrest and detain journalists over reports considered to be against its interest.
“The PDP therefore calls on the general media and all lovers of democracy and free speech in the country to speak out against the unabating assault on the media by the APC administration as such poses a huge threat to our democracy and the rights of citizens in our country.”