IMPUNITY:TWO JOURNALISTS DETAINED FOR PUBLISHING STORY ON N650M FRAUD

Human rights lawyer, Barrister Festus Keyamo has petitioned the Inspector General of Police. Mr. Suleman Abba over the continued detention of Emmanuel Fateman, an Assistant Editor and Joseph Jolayemi, a graphic artist with National Waves Magazine.In a letter dated December 18, 2014 and signed on behalf of Festus Keyamo Chambers by Festus Ukpe, Esq and Benedicta Obanye, it informed the ...IG about what culminated to the detention of the duo since December 16. 2014.“Sometime in August 2014, Jimmy Enyeh, the publisher of National Waves Magazine as part of his journalistic duties uncovered alleged suspicious dealings regarding a contract of N650 million awarded to A.A Oil Company Limited and in pursuant to National Waves Magazine’s policy of fair and honest reportage sought for his side of the story through a letter dated 01/09/2014, titled “Request for reaction on collection N650million for unexecuted contract”“Despite the foregoing letter, neither the Alhaji Aliyu Abubabar nor any representative of his company communicated their version of the story. The story was consequently published on 22nd September 2014. As soon as the story was published, the publisher started receiving strange threatening phone calls about the story to the effect that the apparatus of the state including the law enforcement agencies will be used to punish him for publishing such the story.“In furtherance of their objective of arresting and detaining the publisher of National Waves Magazine, these police officers on the instruction of the complainant, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar served a letter of invitation while Mr. Enyeh was out of town preparing for National Waves anniversary event, on getting aware of the invitation, he informed his lawyer and suggested a rescheduled meeting. The officer refused to heed that suggestion and promised to get him at all cost since he knew where he was.“Based on this development, Enyeh instituted an action at of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory challenging the interference of the IGP Special Task Force on Terrorism and Heinous Crime in an issue perceived to be civil in nature.In a similar development, the complainant, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar also filed a civil suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory seeking various reliefs against National Waves Magazine and Jimmy Enyeh on alleged defamatory publications.“The crux of this petition is that despite the foregoing facts and the pendency of the different suits before courts of competent jurisdiction, the IGP Special Task Force on December 16, 2014 arrested Emmanuel Fateman and Joseph Jolayemi, who are members of staff of National Waves Magazine and have since been in detention.All attempts to ensure that they are arraigned in court met brick walls.

Jimmy Enyeh
Publisher National Wave Magazine