Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force detained the wife and nine-month-old child of a journalist to lure him into custody in Lagos.
In a post shared on his Facebook wall, Sowore stated that he had spoken with Mr Fisayo Soyombo, the publisher of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who confirmed that Mr Sodeeq Atanda, a senior reporter with FIJ Nigeria, had been released from custody at the Obalende Police Station.
According to Sowore, Atanda was arrested after police officers allegedly detained his wife and infant child and compelled the woman to place a phone call to the journalist under false pretences. He claimed that the officers instructed her to tell Atanda that their child was ill and that they were at a hospital.
Sowore alleged that when Atanda rushed to the location in distress, he was immediately handcuffed and detained by police officers.
The activist further claimed that the Investigating Police Officer told Atanda that the complainant in a fraud-related report had paid private individuals to track the journalist’s family via phone. He alleged that Atanda’s wife and child were subsequently handed over to the police following the tracking.
Sowore described the alleged actions as disturbing and accused the police of acting in collaboration with private interests. He also alleged that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has been monitoring his movements since he arrived in Lagos and sharing information about his whereabouts with unnamed interests.
“The Nigeria Police Force, as presently constituted, is not preserving law and order but accelerating its collapse,” Sowore wrote, adding that such conduct undermines public trust in law enforcement and governance.
