Police Reject IPI Claims, Insist On Due Process and Media Freedom
Amid growing debates over press freedom and security sector accountability, the Nigeria Police Force has firmly rejected what it described as unfounded allegations linking its leadership to the alleged wrongful arrest of a journalist.
Responding to the International Press Institute’s (IPI) decision to suspend engagement with the Force, the Police said claims attempting to implicate the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, were misleading and unsupported by facts.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Police stressed that the IGP neither authorised nor condoned the arrest, harassment or intimidation of any journalist.
According to the statement, once the incident was formally brought to the IGP’s attention by IPI President, Musikilu Mojeed, immediate steps were taken to secure the journalist’s release and initiate an investigation into the conduct of the officers involved.
The Police explained that the Force Monitoring Unit was directed to probe the matter, with assurances that any officer found culpable would face disciplinary action in line with extant laws.
The Force noted that these actions were taken promptly and transparently, and that the IPI was duly informed.
Describing suggestions of institutional hostility to press freedom as disingenuous, the Police maintained that misconduct by individual officers should not be weaponised to malign the leadership or the institution as a whole.
While acknowledging that isolated cases of misconduct may occur within its over 300,000-strong workforce, the Force insisted such cases are neither shielded nor ignored.
The statement further revealed that investigations were stalled after the IPI allegedly declined repeated invitations to appear before the Force Monitoring Unit to formally adopt its petition, a step described as crucial to concluding the inquiry.
Questioning the proportionality of IPI’s response, the Police said suspending engagement over a single incident, despite ongoing investigations and corrective actions, undermines objectivity and due process.
Reaffirming its commitment to constitutional policing, media freedom and professional accountability, the Nigeria Police Force said it would continue to enforce discipline within its ranks while resisting attempts to unfairly impugn the integrity of its leadership.
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