*Enugu CP, Uzuegbu orders professional investigation, solicits patience from NUJ, others as bail is perfected
The Enugu State Police Command has attributed the arrest of Mr. Madu Onuorah, the Editor-in-Chief of Globalupfront Online Newspaper to a petition alleging defamation to a Rev. Sister based in the United States of America.
In a statement by DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Police Public Relations Officer,
Enugu State Command, the police went after Mr. Onuorah “over an alleged defamatory publication he made against a US-based Reverend Sister”.
He appealed for calm on the “several publications alleging the abduction of an Abuja-based online news publisher”, stating that “contrary to the allegations, he was duly arrested in Abuja with the assistance of police operatives from Ebonyi State Command and the aid of intelligence, after efforts made to formally invite him failed”.
Ndukwe however failed to mention the failed state particulars of the “several efforts made to formally invite him” that failed, considered to be made up story by journalists as they neither contacted him, nor his professional body as demanded from a more saner clime.
Ndukwe said Madu’s “arrest was following the receipt of a written petition to the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command”.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, “has ordered the office handling the case to professionally investigate and ensure that justice prevails.
“He calls on the press family, particularly the leadership and members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and associates of the suspect, to exercise patience, assuring that the needful will be done in the case”.
Meanwhile, contacts made at the Police Command showed that Madu’s bail conditions were being perfected as at 10pm press time and is expected to appear before the CP, Enugu State Friday morning to face the petitioner’s legal team.
Analysts have said the police engaged in unprofessional conduct in the issue as matters of alleged defamatory publications falls squarely with the courts and not with the police, especially having known it is so.
Recall that few days ago, the police Command lost four of its officers to attacks by criminals, but instead of deploying its ICT to track them down, deployed such to a helpless innocent journalist who was engaged in his professional duty as required by the Constitution.
The recourse by law enforcement agencies to engage in diversionary issues rather than use same dexterity to confront the debilitating security challenges remain worrisome, journalists and members of the public say.
Madu’s family are worried on the Gestapo manner in which he was arrested and his detention among hardened criminals and putting him in the same vehicle to Ebonyi and back to Enugu with some alleged kidnappers they also arrested in Abuja.
