The OurMumuDonDo Movement wishes to express its outright disapproval of the current onslaught on press freedom in Nigeria by the Nigerian Police Force.
We are extremely concerned that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, the vanguard man of the Nigerian Police Force, would openly flout the law of the land by unlawfully detaining Mr. Samuel Ogundipe of Premium Times Newspaper for refusing to disclose the source of his story. This arrest is an open affront on Chapter IV, S. 39 (1) of CFRN 1999 as amended, which guarantees the freedom of expression of Nigerian citizens and the freedom of the press in Nigeria.
We must emphasize that this arrest by the Nigerian Police Force is an unacceptable attempt to intimidate, muzzle, and devitalize our press. The press is a crucial institution of our democracy, and fearless journalists like Mr. Ogundipe should be encouraged and not intimidated by coercion.
Again, we would like to advise the IGP that the Nigerian people are watching and taking records of how events are unfolding in the country, and they are seeing how the IGP is obstinately frustrating our democracy with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police Force which the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has ordered its overhaul.
We would like to believe that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris, would not want to be seen by the Nigerian people as an enemy of democracy and progressive reforms. It is in light of this, therefore, that we strongly demand the immediate release of Mr. Ogundipe of Premium Times Newspaper.
On a final note, we would like to state categorically that, we will not hesitate to mobilize Nigerians of conscience to the headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force in Abuja tomorrow, August 16, 2018, if, by the end of today, August 15, 2018, Mr. Samuel Ogundipe of Premium Times is not released unconditionally.
OUR MUMU DON DO!
SIGNED:
Charles Oputa
OurMumuDonDo Movement
Adeyanju Adedeji
Concerned Nigerians
Ariyo-Dare Atoye
Coalition in Defense of Nigerian Democracy
Moses Paul
Mad Connect