The International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, has kicked against an invitation letter addressed to one of its journalists, Nurudeen Akewushola, and the organisation’s “managing directors” by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.
In a statement on Thursday, the ICIR disclosed that the invitation letter from the police was delivered to its office on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
It, however, said the letter was dated April 16, 2024, and the journalist was required to report to the centre on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, three weeks before the letter was delivered to The ICIR.
The organisation added that the invitation lacks details about the alleged crime, hindering its ability to prepare a proper defence.
“The Police did not provide any details of the petition leading to its investigation on “cyberstalking and defamation of character,” which would have enabled the centre and its reporter to prepare for an interview.
The organisation also expressed concern about “the emerging trend of harassment and crackdown on journalists in Nigeria by the nation’s security apparatus using the Cyber Crimes Act”.
“The ICIR is also concerned about the invitation because it has reasonable cause to believe it is related to an investigative report done by Nurudeen Akewushola, the reporter who has been invited to the Cybercrime Centre, and recently published by the ICIR.
“The report indicted two former Inspectors General of Police of corruption. One of the two former IGPs threatened the ICIR with a lawsuit and was rebuffed.
“We believe that the same person is now using the police, which should be interested in holding him to account based on our reporting, to harass our reporter,” the statement added.
The organisation, however, asked the police to provide details of the petition and write a new invitation letter before it could honour the invitation.
“As a law-abiding organisation that holds power to account, we are always willing to submit to accountability and would honour lawful invitations from law enforcement agencies, but we have written to the police to provide details of the petition against the ICIR and its reporter and write a new invitation letter before we honour the invitation”.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Nigeria Police Force-National Cyber Crime Centre, Uche Ifeanyi, has defended the invitation of the journalist, saying there was a petition against the media house.
“There is a case against them that they have to come and answer,” he told the Punch Newspaper.
When asked why the invitation got to the organisation late, he said the ICIR was in the best position to answer that.
“They should be able to answer that question.
“Since there is a police invitation, they should honour the invitation,” Mr Ifeanyi added.
