SARS again! Operatives arrest journalist, brothers on ‘orders from above’ in wee hours of New Year

Memories of the recent #ENDSARS campaign embarked upon by some Nigerians on social media were again thrown up following the arrest of a journalist in Nnewi, Anambra State by the SARS unit of the Nigeria Police.

Elombah Daniel, publisher of the online platform elombah.com was said to have been whisked away by a team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police in the wee hours of the New Year’s Day.

Elombah, who is also a United Kingdom based lawyer was arrested, and General Secretary of the Online Publishers Association (OPAN) was reportedly picked up along with his brothers from their family house in Edoji-Uruagu Nnewi, Anambra State.

All enquiries made of the SARS operatives as to the offense of the journalist and his brothers were said to have fallen on deaf ears, as they only replied that they were acting based on ‘orders from above’.

Read also: UNICEF: 20,000 babies will be born on New Year day in Nigeria

They refused to give any other information, or disclose what the offense of those arrested was as they drove them off in their vehicles.

Family members stated that in further enquiries, it was discovered that Elombah, and his brothers were taken to Abuja, the same night, and have been held incommunicado.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian social media space, especially Twitter had gone abuzz over calls that SARS, the police unit be scrapped based on what many said was the high handedness, and inappropriate behaviors of its operatives.

They were also accused of extra-judicial killings, torture and extortion.

The calls had prompted the Inspector General of Police to announce that the unit will be reformed, and that it’s leadership will be overhauled.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

 

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now