The Department of
State Service (DSS ) has released Tony Ezimakor, Abuja bureau chief of Daily
Independent newspaper, after seven days in detention.
Civil
rights groups, human rights activists and different organisations had asked the
secret police to release the journalist unconditionally.
He had honoured the invitation of the agency on Wednesday but
was detained while Jide Oyekunle, the photojournalist, who accompanied him
there was allowed to leave after some hours.
Since
then, he was held incommunicado.
The service had threatened not to release him
until he disclosed the
source of a story he wrote on Boko Haram
Ezimakor
had written a story detailing how the federal government allegedly paid
millions of dollars in exchange for the release of 82 Chibok schoolgirls.
He
also highlighted the role allegedly played by the Swiss government. A security
source said the Swiss government was embarrassed over how such information was
made public.
Maintaining
that he would not disclose his source, the newspaper asked DSS to charge the
journalist to court but the agency refused.
However,
around 10:30pm on Tuesday, the DSS allowed Ezimakor to leave in the
company of Douglas Ekhator, his lawyer.
Earlier on Tuesday, Femi Falana, human rights
lawyer, said the action of the DSS was a reminder of how the military
regime of Muhammadu Buhari jailed journalists.
No comments:
Post a Comment