The International Press Centre (IPC) is calling on the Nigerian Police Force to immediately unfreeze the bank account of Premium Times reporter, Samuel Ogundipe.
According to Report from Premium Times, “Mr. Ogundipe’s salary account with Ecobank was frozen in an attempt to frustrate him. One of the police officers handling the investigation, Emmanual Onyeneho, an inspector, was heard saying they had to freeze the account to incapacitate the reporter.”
Mr. Ogundipe, Premium Times Security Sector Reporter is currently detained at the SARS headquarters in Abuja for declining to give the source of a recent story he published.
IPC Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said: “There is no precedent in the history of Nigeria where the Police had frozen the personal account a journalist. By so doing the police is not only inflicting pain on Mr. Ogundipe but his immediate family as well. It is unacceptable and totally condemnable.”
IPC once again condemns the arrest and detention of Samuel Ogundipe. The Police should either set him free immediately or charge him to court so he could have legal opportunity to defend himself.
SGD:
Melody Akinjiyan
Program Assistant/Safety Desk Officer IPC