DSS Releases OrderPaper Journalist After IPI Intervention

The Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS) has released Edna Ulaeto, a journalist from OrderPaper, following swift intervention by the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria.

Ulaeto was arrested on October 18, 2024, for inaccurately reporting that DSS operatives invaded the Nigerian National Assembly to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The journalist was released same day afrer Interrogation.

The DSS had expressed concerns that the false report posed serious national security threats and caused significant local and international embarrassment.

The agency said it sought to understand the reasoning behind the inaccurate reporting and potential sources of the false information aimed at destabilizing the country.

IPI Nigeria, in a statement by Tobi Soniyi, Legal Adviser & Head, Advocacy Committee, said that the body acknowledged the DSS’s concerns and appreciated their decision to release Ulaeto.

While urging journalists to alwsys adhere to journalistic ethics and accurate reporting, IPI Nigeria also enjoined media practitioners to verify information before publishing and refrain from sensationalism, saying “truthful reporting is crucial for a stable society”.

OrderPaper had promptly issued a retraction and apology, over the news article.