Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter for FIJ (Foundation for Investigative Journalism), who went missing on Wednesday, May 1, has been relocated to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja.
The Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police transferred Ojukwu from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos to Abuja on Sunday.
Ojukwu, who had been detained at SCID since his disappearance, stated that Sunday was the first time he was allowed to make a phone call in five days, but authorities have not disclosed the reasons for his detention.
Upon reaching Abuja, Ojukwu was placed in a cell at the NPF-NCCC and informed that he would be questioned by agents. His whereabouts were unknown to colleagues, family, and friends until his relocation to Abuja.
Ojukwu stated on Sunday morning, “I’m currently in Abuja; I am at the NPF-NCCC – that’s the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.
“I arrived this morning and I was taken into a cell. All I know is that I’m in Abuja. This is the first time I’ve been given my phone since Wednesday. They (NPF-NCCC agents) said that they were going to ask me questions. So, I’m waiting,” he added.
FIJ initially filed a missing person report on Thursday, and a private detective hired by the organization traced the last active location of Ojukwu’s phones to Isheri Olofin, where it is believed he was picked up by the police.
According to a relative who visited him at Panti, the authorities accused Ojukwu of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act but declined to provide contact details of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) citing jurisdictional grounds as the case was deemed beyond Lagos.
The relative revealed that the arresting officers are part of the IG Monitoring Team and indicated that Ojukwu and others would be transferred to Abuja once arrests in Lagos were completed.
The relative disclosed, “The arresting officers are part of the IG Monitoring Team. They said when they were done arresting the other people on their watchlist in Lagos, they would transfer him and others to Abuja.”
Despite being held for five days, Ojukwu has not been provided with legal representation during the police interrogation.
