How I was Attacked and Arrested in Lagos - SaharaReporters Publisher Opens Up After His Release by Police

 

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, has been released from police custody, and has recounted his ordeal. 

We reported on Wednesday that operatives of the Nigerian Police arrested Saharareporters owner and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, in Ikeja G.R.A, Lagos for criminal defamation, blackmail and threat to life.

 

His arrest on yesterday afternoonwas facilitated by a U.K-based Nigerian journalist, Lekan Fatodu who accused Sowere of defaming his name and threatening his life, as Sowore was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti.

 

Speaking exclusively to Premium Times, Sowore revealed that he was attacked by Lekan Fatodu, ‎publisher of UK-based CheckOut magazine over a story SaharaReporters published about him last year, adding that Fatodu attacked him after he drove out of a restaurant situated along Isaac John Street.

“I went with a friend to have lunch in a restaurant and as we drove out of the place we got on Isaac John Street. After driving for a few minutes, I slowed down by a construction site on the road and someone knocked on my window,” Sowore said.

 

He said he immediately recognised Fatodu and wound down to greet him only to be physically attacked and dragged out of his vehicle. “The construction workers and other people around moved closer to intervene and the police were called in,” he said.

 

The police took Sowore, Fatodu and others involved in the incident to Area “F” Command Headquarters, also in Ikeja. It was here that the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said Sowore should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

“It is unfortunate that the commissioner will treat such a brutal attack against me this way. The matter that was before him was only about the immediate threat to my life only for him to further endanger my life by asking them to send me to Panti,” Sowore said.

 

The police spokesperson in the state, Dolapo Badmus, said Sowore was sent to Panti based on a petition against him, adding that the petition was filed by Fatodu and it involved criminal defamation, blackmail and threat to life.

“The commissioner received the petition yesterday and he immediately referred it to Panti for further investigation. That is why he was driven there for further investigation in his case,” Ms. Badmus said. “The matter is still under investigation,” she added.

 

Sowore founded Sahara Reporters in 2006 to promote citizen journalism by encouraging everyday people to report stories about corruption, human rights abuses and other political misconduct in Nigeria.