Veteran journalist and publisher of Media Room Hub, Azuka Ogujiuba, has publicly denounced a letter of apology she claims was coerced by officers of the Nigerian Police Force following her unlawful detention and harassment. The incident has sparked widespread concern over press freedom and the treatment of journalists in Nigeria.
Ogujiuba, formerly of ThisDay newspaper, described her three-day detention as a harrowing ordeal marked by intimidation, physical and psychological torture, and complete isolation. “I was tortured, traumatized, harassed and intimidated by Moses Jolugbo and Ify Ogoli to write this fake apology,” she stated, adding that she was denied food and communication during her confinement.
The apology letter, which she now rejects, was allegedly demanded in connection with a court-related publication that had been authorized for public release. Despite multiple media outlets publishing the same documents—including Arise TV, Channels TV, and Vanguard—Ogujiuba was singled out and accused of cyberbullying and defamation. “I was innocent of what they accused me of,” she lamented. “It is not even a criminal case, so why violate my freedom?”
The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has condemned the police’s actions, calling them “blatant harassment aimed at silencing a journalist for performing her lawful duties.” The organization urged Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to ensure that any allegations against journalists are handled through proper legal channels, not intimidation.
Ogujiuba’s experience has reignited calls for accountability and reform within the Nigerian Police Force. “Is the Nigerian Police not supposed to be objective when a petition is brought to their office?” she asked. “Why have they turned the police offices into a business center where only the highest monetary bidder wins?”