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Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has been abducted by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos.
In a report by FIJ, Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday May 1, his numbers switched off and his whereabouts to both colleagues, family and friends.
On Thursday, FIJ initially made a missing person report at police stations in the area where Ojukwu was headed, However, on Friday, a private detective hired by FIJ tracked the last active location of his phones to an address in Isheri Olofin, a location FIJ now believes was where the police originally picked it up.
Ojukwu’s family would subsequently get wind of his detention at Panti, where they were made to understand the authorities are accusing him of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act.
A relative who visited him told FIJ that the authorities declined to provide contact details of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on jurisdictional grounds as the case was beyond Lagos.
“The arresting officers are part of the IG Monitoring Team. They said when they are done arresting the other people on their watchlist in Lagos, they would transfer him and others to Abuja.”
It is now the third day since the police have been holding Ojukwu incommunicado, denying access to legal representation.
According to FIJ, the police have not formally said a word on why they abducted Ojukwu.
