The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered Nigerian police to immediately release Chinonso Uba, a journalist who was arrested in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo state.
Background
Uba, also known as Nonso Nkwa, was taken away by police on 27 July after he finished hosting his morning show on Ozisa FM, a radio station in Owerri, the state capital.
The operatives came from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Abuja Force Headquarters, where they arrested the journalist.
Imo State Information Commissioner Declan Emelumba announced on July 28 that the journalist was arrested for allegedly defaming the state governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Emelumba claimed that the journalist alleged that Uzodinma and former Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo were behind the killings and insecurity in the state.
He Nigerian Journalists UnionImo State Chapter, he would later criticize his arrest and demand his immediate release.
The group said that the state government, instead of arresting, should have sued the journalist if they were convinced that he defamed the governor.
Charges against the journalist
Police, after three weeks, prosecuted the journalist in a Federal High Court in Abuja on two-count charges, Newslodge reliably gathered on Wednesday.
Uba was accused of allegedly making a false and defamatory video post on social media in June accusing Messrs. Uzodinma and Dokubo of killing 100 youths and also burning houses in Imo with the intent to incite residents of the state already the igbo against the governor.
The police told the court that the offense was contrary and punishable under Section 24(1)(B) of the Cyber-Crime Prohibition Act.
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The journalist was also charged with allegedly making the social media post with the intent to intimidate, threaten or harass Mr. Uzodinma on the allegation that the governor and Mr. Dokubo carried out the killings.
The police also said that the offense contravened Section 24(2)(A) and was punishable under Section 24(2)(C) of the same act.
The journalist pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The court rejected the journalist’s request for bail and adjourned the hearing until September next month.
Meanwhile, the journalist had previously filed an ex parte application with the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on August 8, against the Inspector General of Police (Respondent) demanding his release from detention.
legal action
In the ex parte motion marked M/7128/2023, Mr. Uba requested the court to declare that the various acts of torture, harassment, assault, intimidation and inhumane treatment inflicted on him by the police (Respondent) at the instigation of Governor Uzodinma were unconstitutional and constitutes a violation of your rights under Section 34(1) of the Constitution.
The journalist also asked the court to declare that his arrest and detention at the Maitama Area Command police facilities since July 27 at the request of the governor, the complainant, was illegal and in violation of his fundamental human rights.
He applied for a court order granting him bail and immediate release, as well as an order for the police to bring him to court if he was not released within 24 hours.
In addition, he asked the court to grant a life injunction order to prevent the police or their representatives from further harassing, intimidating, arresting and detaining him for the same reason.
After hearing from PAN Ejiafor and CC Okafor, Mr. Ubah’s lawyers, Judge E. Okpe granted all of the journalist’s sentences, according to a court document obtained by Newslodge.
The court document, titled “Court Order,” was dated August 18, 2023.
Not yet published
Despite the court order, Newslodge checks showed that Mr. Uba had still not been released as of Saturday night, more than 24 hours after the order.
The force’s spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not return calls seeking comment.
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