The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday arraigned journalist Friday Alefia before the Federal High Court in Abuja, ending his six-week-long detention without trial.
Mr Alefia, the publisher of the online news platform Naija News Today (formerly Asiwaju Media), pleaded not guilty to a five-count charge related to cybercrime offences for allegedly publishing false reports about a serving Nigerian lawmaker.
Mr Alefia was arrested in Lagos on September 23 and subsequently transferred to Abuja, where he was held at a facility of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), despite persistent demands from his family and legal team for him to be charged or released.
The charges, filed by the Commissioner of Police, list Mr Alefia as the first defendant and his company, Asiwaju Media Company Ltd, as the second. They accuse him of using computer systems and social media platforms, including Facebook, to publish reports allegedly critical of Chinedu Ogah, the lawmaker representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
READ FULL STORY HERE: https://observatoryng.org/police-arraign-journalist-friday-alefia-after-six-weeks-of-detention-without-trial/
