NEWS
US Committee To Protect Journalists Asks Nigeria Police To Drop Charges Against Elombah’s Brothers
Nigeria Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim
Committee To Protect Journalists with headquarters in New York, United States has call on Nigerian authorities to immediately drop plans to charge Timothy and Daniel Elombah, editor and chief executive respectively, of the independent Elombah news website.
CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal from New York, said counsel to the Elombah brothers had informed the organisation that a federal court in Abuja is scheduled to arraign the brothers on cybercrime and terrorism-related offenses on March 1.
She said, “Timothy and Daniel Elombah are journalists and not terrorists who should be free to continue their journalism without legal harassment or fear of going to jail.
“Authorities should drop all legal proceedings against them and review Nigeria’s cybercrime law to ensure it is constitutional and is not abused to silence the press”, she added.
Nigerian security forces detained the pair, along with several others, on January 1 for an allegedly defamatory article about Nigerian Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris that was published in the privately owned website Opinion Nigeria, and which the brothers have said they did not write.
Authorities released Daniel Elombah the same day he was arrested; Timothy was released on 500,000 Nigerian naira (US$1,400) bail after spending 25 days in police custody, according to Ohaegbu.
Elombah reports on the extremist group Boko Haram and has written critically about President Muhammadu Buhari’s son. Daniel Elombah denied that Elombah had anything to do with the article that police said prompted their arrest.
Jeff Okoroafor, the founder and publisher of Opinion Nigeria, told CPJ in January that police requested the article be removed, but that he refused. He said no further action was taken.
When CPJ called the headquarters of the Nigeria police in Abuja, the person who answered the phone said that he was not allowed to speak to journalists, and hung up.
If found guilty, the brothers could each face up to 10 years in jail under the Cybercrime Act, Daniel Elombah told CPJ.
At least four bloggers have been prosecuted under the Cybercrime Act since 2015, according to CPJ research.
[Widget_Twitter id=”1″]
‘They Want Me Down’: Isoko Billionaire Danmotech Opens Up on Attacks Over Philanthropy
Rivers Crisis: Fubara Directs SSG To Invite Pro-Wike’s 27 Lawmakers To Government House
Coalition Exonerates Tompolo’s Tantita From Human Rights Violation Allegations In N’Delta
Omo-Agege Meets President Tinubu At Aso Villa, Quells Rumour Of Rift With The Presidency
H0STCON Hails Nwoko’s Appointment As Senate Committee Chair On Crude Oil Theft
Omo-Agege Eulogises Chief Enuha, Says ‘You’re A Bridge Builder’
PDP NWC Appoints Emma Ogidi As Chairman South-South Caretaker Committee
Prioritize Political Solution To Impeachment To Avoid Anarchy In Rivers – Ijaw Journalists Speak On Face-off
Tinubu Appoints Ex-INEC Chairman, Prof Jega As Presidential Adviser On Livestock Reforms
BREAKING: NDDC’s MD Escapes Attack As Gunmen Kidnap Aide In Bayelsa
Omo-Agege’s Leadership Key To APC’s Success In Delta – Chief Ayirimi Emami
Ned Nwoko-funded Sports University Of Nigeria Holds First Matriculation Ceremony In Delta
FG Makes U-turn, Replaces Prof Chukwu With Prof Ogbogbo As Delta Varsity VC
Our ‘Warri For Your Worries’ Agenda On Course, Says Isoko South Vice Chair
