BREAKING: Police Detains Another Media CEO in Abuja Over Petition From A Politician
Just as journalists in the country are yet to come to terms with the 11 days detention of the publisher of 247UREPORTS, Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe, by the police without trial, another media Executive, the Publisher of Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper and CEO of Rock FM Jalingo, Taraba State, Mr. Ayodele Samuel Oloye has been detained over petition by another politician, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.
Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe’s arrest was ordered by a politician and former aide to Governor Willie Obiano, the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Chief Primus Odili, over an alleged ‘libelous’ publication.
On the part of the Rock FM boss, the lawmaker representing Taraba South Senatorial District for the third term and also the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Taraba gubernatorial candidate, Senator Bwacha petitioned the highest investigating arm of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID to investigate the young and leading media entrepreneur in Taraba State.
The politician accused Mr. Ayodele Samuel Oloye of cyber-stalling, defamation of character and frustration of his ambition, among others.
According to Ayodele in an alert sent to media colleagues on Monday morning, he said, “I’m Ayodele Samuel Publisher of Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper and CEO of Rock FM Jalingo, the first private FM radio station in Taraba State.
“I’m honouring a police invitation at the FCID, Abuja over a petition (I don’t know who the petitioners are or content of the petition) but as a law abiding citizen I have (to) honour the invitation with a lawyer provided by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
“I feel it’s necessary to inform you and seek for your support incase things go south. Ayodele Samuel 25th July 2022, 8.45am”.
It’s important to note that, for almost a decade after his National Youth Service year in 2013, through constructive criticism, balanced and objective reports, Ayodele Samuel has consistently deploy his journalistic and media skills to promote and advance the cause of Taraba State and Tarabans.
While responding to the petition, Ayodele noted that all he is doing in Taraba State and beyond in course of his media duties are with objectivity, fairness, human interest, while giving utmost consideration to individual rights and, even, posterity.
He said, such ethics is why the outfits have been succeeding.
“We started with Taraba Truth and Facts and now we established the first ever private owned commercial radio Station in the State.
“Senator Bwacha who started his own radio Station in Jalingo few days ago, petitioned the Nigerian Police to investigate us, planning to keep me in police custody to cripple Rock FM.
“We heard he met the Inspector General of Police one-on-one on this issue.
“It is demeaning to all Taraba South Senatorial constituents and also the entire 9th National Assembly for a three-term Senator Bwacha to be calling for the investigation on why a Nigerian decides to live and own a radio station in Taraba.
“So far, the police are doing their job with appreciable decency.
“We’re not afraid and no amount of intimidation can kill our love for the people”, the detained journalist said.
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, the APC governorship candidate in the state has a case at the Federal High Court in Jalingo, over a lawsuit filed against him by David Sabo Kente, one of the APC aspirants in the just concluded governorship primaries in the state.
Kente, through a legal counsel Offiong Offiong SAN sued both APC, INEC and Bwacha over alleged irregularities during the governorship primaries that produced the Senator as candidate.
Kente prayed the court to disqualify Bwacha and stop him from parading himself as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Taraba State.
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