Publisher of Sahara Reporters arrested

Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, known for pushing the boundaries of investigative journalism, has been arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Police.

He was picked up on Wednesday on the strength of a petition said to have been written against him by one Lekan Fatodu, who has also been identified as publisher of a magazine based in London.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that Fatodu had alleged blackmail and attempt on his life in his petition against Sowore to the police. The blackmail, it is gathered, stemmed from Sowore’ s publication of a story alleging that Fatodu had been involved in money laundering, assisting Nigerian politicians, in particular, to ferret money out of the country.

Confirming Sowore’s arrest on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Police Command in Lagos State, SP Dolapo Badmos, said, “The publisher was arrested this evening over threat to life and blackmail. Investigation is still going on.”

Her statement reads, “Today, 11/1/2017 at about 15:39hrs, a distress call was received by the Lagos State Police Command that Mr Omoyele Sowore – Publisher of Sahara Reporters was being attacked by suspected hoodlums around Isaac John street, GRA ikeja.

“The police swiftly responded, and upon arrival at the scene contrary to the report that a robbery attack was taking place, the police met the duo of Mr Omoyele Sowore and Mr Lekan Fatodu engaged in a brawl/altercation. With a view to ascertaining what led to the false alarm of a robbery, both parties were taken before the Commissioner of Police.”

She added, “In the course of police intervention, it was found out that the brawl is in connection with an earlier complaint of alleged threat to life, defamation of character and blackmail made by Lekan against Omoyele. Both parties were subsequently referred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti where the case has been under investigation.”

Reacting via his social media handle, Facebook, Sowore alleged that he had been poorly treated by operatives of the Nigeria Police in the course of his arrest, and that he was convinced that the agency was working hands-in-glove with Fatodu to deal with him.

“It is very obvious that this was planned between Lekan Fatodu and the police. They offered him unbridled support as he continued attacking me in the presence of the police,” he claimed.

Emerging reports say Sowore has been released from detention.

Sowore’s Sahara Reporters most recently ran very stinging reports on the Presidency, alleging that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and Abba Kyari had abused their offices by drawing from the purse of the Nigerian Embassy in London for personal needs.

Both have since denied the allegations, claiming mischief on the part of Sahara Reporters.

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