22nd July, 2022
The Peoples Gazette newspaper’s head office in Abuja was on Friday invaded by men of the Nigeria Police.
In the course of the raid, one of the newspaper’s editors, John Adenekan and four other staff members were arrested.
Adenekan, an assistant managing editor, was taken away at about 12:35 p.m. by five armed police officers who broke into the paper’s office opposite NNPC Quarters in Utako.
The officers returned to the office to arrest four other staff members, Ameedat Adeyemi, Grace Oke, Sammy Ogbu and Justina Tayani.
The security operatives according to reports demanded to see the Managing Editor, Samuel Ogundipe and a reporter Adefemola Akintade who wrote a report on former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd.).
“The police just raided our office now and arrested one of our editors, John Adenekan,” a staff member of the organisation said.
“They demanded to see Samuel Ogundipe and Femola, a reporter. Adenekan has been taken to Utako police station. It seems it is about Buratai’s story.”
The action of the police came days after an Abuja-based Publisher and a proxy of a Buratai, Isah Bello sued Peoples Gazette for allegedly defaming the Ambassador to Benin Republic.
The newspaper on June 23 reported that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) raided and recovered items including 50 luxury watches from a purported residence of Buratai.