Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Five armed officers from the Osun State Police Command invaded the residence of the state secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Olalekan Akindoju, in a predawn operation on Thursday, June 11, 2026, handcuffing him and detaining him for nearly five hours before admitting the arrest was based on a case of mistaken identity. The media rights group International Press Centre (IPC) has described the incident as an “unlawful act” that raises fresh concerns about press freedom in Nigeria, while the NUJ has demanded an unconditional public apology from the police. The journalist, who is also the Head of News and Current Affairs at Rave 91.7FM/WSTV, says he was denied access to a phone and a lawyer, and that his efforts to identify himself as a journalist were ignored by his captors.
Akindoju told the IPC’s Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub that armed policemen stormed his home in Osogbo around 6 a.m. on Thursday, seizing his mobile phone and bundling him into a vehicle without providing any explanation for the action. “They invaded my residence this morning around 6a.m, arrested me and seized my phone without any valid explanation. All attempts to identify myself as a journalist failed, as they refused to listen to me or give me opportunity to call anyone,” Akindoju said. The journalist was taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and later transferred to the Police Public Relations Unit cells at the police headquarters. He was held for nearly five hours before being released, following interventions by concerned stakeholders and the NUJ. The Osun NUJ Chairman, Adeyemi Aboderin, confirmed the arrest on the union’s official WhatsApp platform, stating that the secretary’s apartment had been “allegedly raided by policemen and he was taken to the State CID.” Later in the day, Aboderin announced that Akindoju had been “released unconditionally,” and that police authorities had explained the incident as a case of mistaken identity. The Osun State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, who earlier confirmed that he had located the station where Akindoju was being detained, has not yet issued a formal statement explaining the circumstances that led to the arrest. The command has not revealed the identity of the person or persons the officers were actually seeking when they targeted the journalist’s home, nor has it clarified how the mistaken identity could have occurred despite Akindoju’s repeated attempts to identify himself.
The IPC, through its SPJ Hub, has condemned the arrest and detention of the NUJ secretary, describing the incident as an “unlawful act” that underscores the persistent challenges facing journalists in Nigeria. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of the IPC, said security agencies must exercise greater caution before carrying out arrests, particularly when journalists are involved. “This incident is highly condemnable, and the Police must do due diligence in gathering their intelligence and information before initiating arrests, especially as it pertains to journalists,” Arogundade said. The IPC-SPJ Hub called on the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Gotan, to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Akindoju’s arrest and to hold any culpable officers accountable. The group also demanded that the police issue an official apology to the journalist to demonstrate the force’s commitment to professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.
The Osun State Council of the NUJ also issued a statement condemning the arrest of its secretary, describing the action as “disturbing and unacceptable.” The union expressed concern that a professional journalist was arrested without adequate investigation and verification, and noted that the incident raises serious concerns about respect for press freedom, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law. While acknowledging the intervention of the Commissioner of Police and the Police Public Relations Officer, which led to Akindoju’s release, the NUJ maintained that the incident could have been avoided if proper due diligence had been carried out before the arrest. The council demanded an unreserved public apology from the Nigeria Police Force to Akindoju, his family, Rave 91.7FM/WSTV, and the journalism profession for the embarrassment, inconvenience, and reputational damage caused by the arrest.
The police spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, speaking with journalists before Akindoju’s release, said he was working hard to establish what happened and had located the station where the journalist was being detained. He also confirmed that the Osun NUJ chairman and some other union officials were with him at the police headquarters. However, as of Thursday evening, the command had not issued an official statement explaining why the officers targeted Akindoju’s home, what intelligence led to the raid, how the mistaken identity occurred, or whether any disciplinary action would be taken against the officers involved. Akindoju, who was held in custody for nearly five hours, revealed that his phone was confiscated during the arrest, leaving him unable to contact colleagues or family. “I was detained for almost five hours before I was released after the intervention of colleagues and the NUJ. The Police claimed it was a case of mistaken identity,” he added. The incident has drawn attention to what media rights advocates describe as a pattern of arbitrary arrests and intimidation of journalists by security agencies across Nigeria. Rights advocates have repeatedly warned that such actions undermine press freedom and democratic accountability, and have called for stronger constitutional protections for media practitioners. As Akindoju returns to work, questions linger: who were the police actually looking for, how did they target a widely known journalist instead, and will the police leadership take any steps to ensure such a raid never happens again?
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