- Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, faults the DSS for trying to compel a journalist to disclose the source of a story he wrote
- He demands for the immediate release of the Tony Ezimakor
- Charly Boy, others to storm SSS headquarters over detention of journalist
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has said the Department of State Services (DSS) reenacted the traits a military regime when it detained Tony Ezimakor, the Abuja bureau chief of Daily Independent newspaper.
NAIJ.com had earlier reported that the secret police detained Ezimakor in Abuja on Wednesday, February 28, after honouring an invitation over a story he wrote.
The story reportedly detailed how the Buhari administration paid millions of dollars as ransom to Boko Haram for the release of some Chibok girls.
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Ezimakor’s story also revealed how ransom payments have become a lucrative source of extra income for Nigerian and Swiss intelligence officers who participated in the negotiations for Boko Haram hostages.
Speaking on the detention of Ezimakor, Falana in a statement on Tuesday, March 6, faulted the DSS for trying to compel a journalist to disclose the source of a story he wrote, The Cable reports.
“The Abuja bureau chief of the Independent Newspaper was arrested last week by the State Security Service for publishing a story on the alleged payment of $2 million to the Boko Haram terrorists for the release of some of the abducted Chibok girls,” Falana said.
“Apparently embarrassed by the publication Mr. Ezimakor has been held incommunicado by the State Security Service. As a condition for his release from the illegal custody of the State Security Service, Mr. Ezimakor has been asked to disclose his source of information.
“The harassment of Mr Ezimakor is a sad reminder of the case of Messrs Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor who tried, convicted and were jailed by the Buhari/Idiagbon junta in 1984 over their refusal to disclose their source of information pertaining to a story published in The Guardian newspaper."
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The lawyer said the State Security Service was yet to understand that a journalist cannot be forced to disclose his source of information under the current democratic dispensation.
He said Ezimakor had not committed any offence and should be immediate released.
Meanwhile, ace entertainer and convener of the OurMumuDonDo group, Charles 'Charly Boy' Oputa, has vowed to occupy the headquarters of the State Security Services (SSS) on Wednesday, March 7, over the continued detention of a journalist, Anthony Ezimakor.
The OurMumuDonDo alongside other groups including the Concerned Nigerians, Coalition in Defence Of Nigerian Democracy and Campaign For Democracy, condemned the continued disregard for the rights to freedom of speech by the secret police.
A joint statement by the groups said they have decided to occupy the SSS headquarters in Aso Drive, Maitama on Wednesday by 9am.
The groups with the hashtag #FreeTonyEzimakor said the decision to occupy the headquarters of the secret police is to prevent Ezimakor from suffering the same fate as the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who has been detained at the DSS facility since 2015.
Families of detained suspects in DSS custody on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng