The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has faulted the FCT Police Command over its handling of the alleged assault on the Editor of Pinnacle Daily, Sunday Michael Ogwu, demanding an independent investigation into the incident.
The coalition, in a follow-up statement issued on Saturday, said the Police Command’s response to the allegation failed to address the substance of the journalist’s claims that he was assaulted by police and Vigilante Group of Nigeria personnel while documenting an operation in Lugbe, Abuja.
The FCT Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, had on August 21 responded to the allegations by focusing on Ogwu’s failure to honour invitations to appear at the Command Headquarters.
However, CWPPF said the statement neither confirmed nor denied the alleged assault, identified the officers involved, nor addressed allegations that an electric cable was used to flog the journalist and that his mobile phone was damaged during the incident.
The coalition described the Police Command’s focus on Ogwu’s conduct as troubling, arguing that his decision to seek legal advice and support from press-freedom organisations before making a formal statement was a reasonable precaution, particularly because the allegation involved officers within the police structure.
According to CWPPF, Ogwu reported the incident personally to Adeh at about 8:30pm on August 19, roughly three hours after the alleged assault.
The coalition said the journalist subsequently sought legal advice and contacted press-freedom organisations before committing to a formal statement to the police.
It further disclosed that the FCT Police PRO had reportedly told the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), a member of the coalition, shortly after the incident that the officers involved were likely not under the FCT Command.
CWPPF said the Police Command’s subsequent statement failed to clarify or reconcile that position.
The coalition also cited the response of the Divisional Police Officer of Lugbe, CSP Ukorobo Uchenna C., to inquiries by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), saying the police officer did not deny that an assault occurred.
According to the coalition, Uchenna’s response centred on whether Ogwu personally saw or spoke with him, which it said addressed the issue of identification rather than whether the alleged assault took place.
CWPPF also pointed to a separate publication attributed to the Lugbe Community Security Committee, which reportedly praised the Commissioner of Police and identified CSP Uchenna as having led an operation in the area on the same day.
The coalition said the publication confirmed that Lugbe Police and VGN personnel were deployed in the area, although it described the operation as an anti-drug exercise rather than the demolition exercise alleged by Ogwu.
“Taken together, CWPPF is concerned that the substantive allegation of assault risks being displaced by a competing narrative about the complainant’s conduct,” the coalition said.
It added that “a citizen’s decision to consult legal counsel and press-freedom organisations before making a formal statement to the very command implicated in his alleged assault is not evidence of obstruction.”
CWPPF further disclosed that Ogwu had sought medical attention for injuries allegedly sustained during the incident and was therefore unable to honour the police invitation.
It said the journalist had committed to appearing before the Police Command on Monday, August 24, accompanied by his lawyers.
The coalition also raised concerns about the credibility and public perception of an investigation conducted entirely within the same command structure allegedly implicated in the assault.
It consequently renewed its call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the FCT Police Command to transfer the investigation to an independent mechanism outside the direct command structure involved in the allegation.
CWPPF also demanded the public identification of the officers and unit deployed to the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate operation on August 19, as well as the reconciliation of the deployment with the earlier statement attributed to the Police PRO that the officers might not have been under the FCT Command.
The coalition called for the preservation and production of deployment records, operational orders, patrol vehicle logs and any available CCTV or body-camera footage relating to the operation.
It further demanded an apology and full compensation for Ogwu’s damaged mobile phone, as well as payment of all medical expenses arising from the alleged assault.
CWPPF also urged the Police Command to refrain from further public characterisation of Ogwu’s conduct pending a transparent investigation into the actions of the officers accused.
The coalition called for clear and binding directives to all police divisions in the FCT affirming journalists’ right to document public operations without obstruction, seizure of equipment or physical harm.
In its initial statement issued on August 20, CWPPF had alleged that Ogwu was assaulted after bringing out his mobile phone to document a joint operation involving police officers and VGN personnel at the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate.
The coalition had alleged that officers seized his phone, surrounded him and ordered him into a patrol van after he identified himself as a journalist.
According to the account, when Ogwu refused, officers allegedly flogged him with an electric cable on the instruction of the officer in charge.
CWPPF further alleged that the journalist was attacked a second time after he moved away from the scene and attempted to record the incident and send a distress message to his media organisation.
The coalition had called for an immediate investigation, identification and disciplinary action against those responsible, compensation for the damaged phone, payment of medical expenses and a formal apology to Ogwu and Pinnacle Daily.
Reiterating its position, CWPPF said, “Journalism is not a crime,” and maintained that documenting the activities of state agents is a constitutionally protected responsibility of the press.
The coalition said it would continue to monitor the case and support efforts towards a transparent and independent investigation capable of producing a satisfactory resolution.
