The International Press Centre (IPC) has strongly condemned the recent police brutality against Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), at the Ikeja Police Command in Lagos State. The IPC, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) initiative, expressed serious concern over the incident.
Journalist Daniel Ojukwu was brutally assaulted at the Ikeja Police Command while seeking information from the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) about police extortion from detainees.
The attack involved physical and mental abuse, resulting in shattered eyeglasses, a ripped-off wristwatch, a damaged phone, and body injuries.
The IPC-SPJ-Hub has condemned the incident, urging Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin to investigate using CCTV footage, hold the responsible officers accountable, and provide compensation to Ojukwu for the inhumane treatment.
Following the assault on journalist Daniel Ojukwu, the IPC-SPJ-Hub has called for the Nigeria Police Force to improve officer training, emphasizing respect and courtesy in their duties, and reminding them of their primary responsibility to protect all citizens, including journalists.
In a related incident, the IPC-SPJ-Hub also addressed the need for better understanding of journalists’ roles during emergencies, citing an altercation between Nigerian Railway Corporation Managing Director Kayode Opeifa and NTA editor and former NAWOJ President Ladi Bala, who reported verbal abuse and threats from Opeifa following the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment. In response to the altercation, Arogundade emphasized that public officials should accommodate journalists need for information during emergencies, cooperating with them and avoiding threatening gestures.
Following the incident, Kayode Opeifa apologized to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory chapter, for his actions towards Ladi Bala, admitting he was carried away in the moment. The NUJ had previously demanded a public apology.
After the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, the Minister of Transportation, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, and Opeifa have dismissed sabotage as a cause, reassuring the public about the safety of rail services.
Alkali noted the ongoing challenge of railway asset vandalism, despite arrests and prosecutions. He also reported that specialized rail cranes have been used to remove four of the ten derailed coaches.
