Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has formally invited the Editor of Pinnacle Daily, Sunday Michael Ogwu, to appear at its headquarters to tender a statement regarding his allegation that police officers attached to the Lugbe Police Station assaulted him during a demolition exercise on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The invitation, contained in a press release issued by the Command's spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, on Friday, August 21, came after days of public outcry and the circulation of videos by Ogwu showing the injuries he allegedly sustained in the attack. According to the police, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation, with a directive that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with extant laws and regulations.
The incident that sparked the controversy occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, when Ogwu, who was taking a stroll at the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate, came across a joint demolition exercise involving police officers and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria. According to Ogwu's account, which he shared in videos on social media, he began recording the operation, a public exercise taking place in full glare. However, the officers objected to his filming, seized his phone, and ordered him to delete the videos he had recorded. When Ogwu explained that journalists did not require permission to cover a public operation, his explanation allegedly angered the officers. He alleged that a senior officer supervising the operation ordered that he be beaten. "I was given several strokes with an electric cable on the instruction of a senior officer leading the patrol team. I was given about 10 strokes before I was asked to leave," Ogwu recounted. The officers later returned his phone and ordered him to leave the area. However, shortly after leaving the scene, he began a live video to narrate what had happened to him. He alleged that the officers saw him filming and returned to the scene, subjecting him to a second round of flogging because the first beating "was not enough".
Videos and photographs later shared by Ogwu on social media showed bruises on his back and a cracked phone screen. He also displayed a swollen finger and other bodily injuries. The journalist maintained that he had committed no offence by recording the public demolition exercise. "Covering a police demolition exercise done in full public glare is not a crime. Instead of taking me to whoever they said ordered my arrest, the officers asked me to go after beating me up like a criminal," he said. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from media and civil society organisations, including the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria and the Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom, who have described the assault as a serious violation of press freedom and citizens' rights. The coalition, a group of media and civil society organisations, demanded that the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the FCT Police Command identify and discipline the police officers and VGN members involved, while also demanding compensation for Ogwu's damaged phone and payment of his medical expenses.
In its press release, the FCT Police Command acknowledged the allegations and the public concern but also took a firm stance against Ogwu's handling of the matter. The Command said several invitations had been extended to Ogwu since Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer to visit the Command Headquarters, make an official statement and present relevant evidence to assist the investigation. However, it alleged that the journalist had declined to honour the invitations and had continued to circulate videos on social media, "seemingly in an attempt to mobilise public sentiment and create undue pressure around an ongoing investigation". The Command has now formally invited Ogwu to appear at the Command Headquarters today, Friday, August 21, 2026, by 12:00PM, to make his official statement and present relevant evidence to substantiate his claims. The police assured the public that the allegations will be thoroughly investigated and that any officer(s) found to have acted unprofessionally will be held accountable in accordance with the law.
The police statement also reiterated the Command's commitment to professionalism, accountability, respect for citizens' rights and the rule of law. However, the tone of the press release, which accused Ogwu of attempting to "mobilise public sentiment" while declining invitations, has been met with skepticism by some observers who argue that the police should focus on investigating the serious allegations of assault rather than criticising the victim for speaking out. The incident comes amid growing concerns about the safety of journalists in Nigeria, with the Committee to Protect Journalists documenting at least 91 journalists who have been arrested, physically attacked or harassed across Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. Abuja recorded the highest number of incidents, with 30 journalists targeted. As the investigation unfolds, the question remains whether the police will hold their own accountable or whether this will become another case of institutional impunity. For now, the people of Abuja and the Nigerian media community are watching to see if the FCT Police Command will live up to its promise of justice or if the invitation is merely a tactic to silence a journalist who dared to document the actions of law enforcement.
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