By David Lawal
Media Rights Agenda (MRA) Wednesday challenged the State Security Service (SSS) and Niger State government to immediately charge Tega Oghenedoro, the journalist in their detention to court if there are actionable evidence against him.
Oghenedoro, a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority in Asaba, Delta state, was arrested by SSS for allegedly demanding a sum of N50 m to suppress a story about Governor Muazu Aliyu of Niger State.
In a statement issued in Lagos by Ayode Longe, Progamme Manager, MRA, the organization contended that Oghenedoro’s detention without charge is illegal and constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights. It called on the SSS and the State government to release him forthwith if they have no evidence to charge him to court.
Oghenedoro who was alleged to operate under the pen-name of “Fejiro Oliver”, was initially declared missing on September 19, 2014 but later paraded by the SSS before the media in Minna, capital of Niger state on September 22.
Israel Ebije, Governor Aliyu’s spokesperson accused Oghenedoro of “using mushroom online platforms to blackmail innocent Nigerians”, adding that after it became clear that the journalist was out to blackmail officials of the state government, he (Ebije) issued a statement warning him to refrain from his actions or be exposed. “I even put out a caveat to him through his so-called secret reporters warning him of the consequences of his actions, but because he is greedy he still insisted,” he recounted.
Ms Jennifer Onyejekwe, MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, deplored the action of the SSS in parading him before the media, thereby subjecting him to media trial, instead of taking him before a court of law.
She noted that any person accused of any offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction and wondered why the security agency and the State government opted to parade him before the media instead of charging him to court following their claim of having mounted an elaborate sting operation to ensnare him which should have given them sufficient evidence with which to try him, if their claims are true.
Ebije also released transcript of alleged text messages exchanged between Oghenedoro and the Secretary to the State Government before his departure from Asaba and upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after which he was arrested by the SSS.
Up till the moment, Oghenedoro remains in detention without trial five days after his arrest.
