Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the detention of two Kwara State-based online publishers, Abdulrazaq Babatunde of Just Events Online and Lukman Bolakale of Satcom Media, over a report on alleged infighting within Government House.

The journalists have been incarcerated at the Kwara Police command since September 11, following a petition against them by the immediate past Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ms. Monsurah Gafar, alleging defamation of character.

The contentious story entitled: ‘Gov. Abdulrazaq’s Camp Kicks Against Reappointment of Jumoke Gafar’ was extracted from a statement signed by Chief Rotimi Adebowale, which was duly accredited.

The journalists were invited via phone call by one Sikiru Adedayo of the Anti-Kidnapping and Cultism Unit of the command, an invitation they reportedly honoured within two hours.
The Guardian gathered that Babatunde and Bolakale were questioned about the veracity and source of the report, and they promptly informed them of the source of the statement.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the group was of the considered opinion that, having availed the police of the details, including the phone number and position of the source, who is a senior government official, the police have yet to effect an arrest, while the journalists remain in police custody.

According to him, 72 hours after providing details of the source, rather than police granting them bail and continuing their investigation, the two journalists were arraigned for cyberstalking and conspiracy at Kwara revenue court presided over by a magistrate, A. A. Ajia, who, in turn, remanded them for 21 days in police custody.

HURIWA gathered that the continued detention of the two journalists, despite availing the police of the source of the news report, was not unconnected with continuous pressure being pulled by opposing forces within AbdulRazaq’s camp.

The rights group, therefore, demanded, among others, that the state government should immediately intervene and ensure that the journalists were released unconditionally without further delay.

It also called on Kwara Police Command to respect the rule of law and stop being used as a tool for political vendetta.