The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Movement Against Corruption and Injustice (MACI) have condemned Tuesday’s detention of seven journalists at the Ota High Court premises on the order of Justice N. I. Agbelu.
The detained journalists are Daud Olatunji (Vanguard), Samuel Awoyinfa(The Punch), Ernest Nwokolo (The Nation), Abiodun Taiwo (Daily Times) , Sulaiman Fasasi (Nigerian Pilot), Wale Adelaja (TVC) and Johnson Akinpelu (Alaroye).
The seven were in the court by 11.44am for two matters-cases involving victims of Pakoto demolition and killing in Oke-Ore community-which were believed to have been listed for hearing on Tuesday.
Justice Agbelu ordered their arrest and detention for alleged invasion of court premises but set them free after three hours.
The state chapters of the CDHR, NUJ and MACI, in separate reactions, said Justice Agbelu’s action abridged the journalists’ rights and denied the public the “rights to know and be informed”.
A statement by the NUJ state Chairman and Secretary, Wole Shokunbi and Soji Amosu described Justice Agbelu’s attitude as a subtle way of introducing a culture of tyranny and arbitrariness.”
CDHR’s state chairman Yinka Folarin said: “We stand to be corrected; the court remains a public place where every Nigerian has a right to observe even proceedings.
“It is highly distorting that a judge could throw confusion of such magnitude to the public. It is of no doubt that the fundamental human rights of the victims have been violated and can be challenged.”
MACI’s National President Solomon Bankole said the court is a public place and temple of justice which guarantees free entry and free exit