Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the reported arrest and detention of Mr. Fisayo Soyombo, founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), by the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Describing Mr. Soyombo’s arrest and detention over the last three days as illegal and unconstitutional, MRA called on the Federal Government to put an immediate end to the persistent and widespread abuse of powers by government agencies in disregard of the Constitution and violation of basic principles of the rule of law.
In a statement issued in Lagos, MRA’s Programme Officer, Mr. John Gbadamosi, argued that: “The Nigerian Army lacks the authority to arrest or detain civilians. In any event, it is a clear requirement under the Constitution that anyone who is deprived of his personal liberty upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, must be charged to court within 24 hours.
