The Nigerian police on Friday raided the head office of Peoples Gazette, an online newspaper located in the Utako area of Abuja, arresting one of its editors and four other journalists.
The Newspaper reported that John Adenekan, its assistant managing editor, was taken away around 12:35 p.m. by five armed police officers who broke into the office.
Adenekan was allegedly arrested over a story detailing how anti-graft ICPC raided a property belonging to chief of army staff Tukur Buratai and recovered cash and luxury items published June 23.
The police officers who invaded the office were reportedly looking for the managing editor Samuel Ogundipe and reporter Adefemola Akintade, but in the absence of the duo, arrested the assistant editor. Others arrested are Ameedat Adeyemi, Grace Oke, Sammy Ogbu, and Justina Tayani.
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Adenekan said he was taken to the Utako police division following the raid. This is not the first time the newspaper has come under attack. In January 2022, the same head office was invaded by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Josephine Adeh, spokesperson of the Abuja Police Command, said the raid on Peoples Gazette newspaper’s office followed a complaint by Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
She reported that Buratai wrote to the police alleging defamation of character by the paper in the June 23 report. “There was a written complaint against them of defamation of character by General Buratai”, she stated.
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