Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism has issued a searing condemnation of the alleged brutal assault on journalist Sunday Michael Ogwu by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in the Lugbe area of Abuja, demanding a transparent and independent investigation into an incident that it says represents a grave threat to press freedom and democratic accountability. The Centre’s intervention, contained in a statement released on Monday, August 24, 2026, comes amid growing public outrage over the treatment of the Pinnacle Daily Editor, who was allegedly beaten with an electric cable, handcuffed, and had his mobile phone destroyed while documenting a demolition exercise on August 19, 2026.
The assault on Ogwu, which was captured in videos he shared on social media, has ignited a fierce debate about the rights of journalists and citizens to document public operations without facing brutal reprisals. According to Ogwu's account, he was taking an evening stroll in the Lugbe area when he encountered a demolition exercise involving police officers and members of the vigilante group. Despite identifying himself as a journalist, a police officer reportedly snatched his phone. He was then subjected to a beating with an electric cable, handcuffed, and his phone was destroyed. The officer leading the operation has been identified as CSP Ukorobo Uchenna, the Divisional Police Officer of the Lugbe Police Division.
The FCT Police Command, in response, has taken a defensive posture. While Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi initially ordered an investigation, the Command's subsequent public statements have focused less on the allegations of brutality and more on Ogwu's alleged failure to honour invitations to make a formal statement. The police have suggested that Ogwu was attempting to "mobilise public sentiment and create undue pressure" on the investigation. This framing has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates. The Wole Soyinka Centre expressed particular concern that, rather than providing clear answers or identifying the officers involved, the police statement seemed to blame the victim. "A journalist who alleges that he was assaulted by security personnel should be able to seek medical attention, legal advice and support from professional or press freedom organisations without such actions being portrayed as an attempt to obstruct an investigation," the Centre stated.
The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has also challenged the police narrative, pointing out that Ogwu reported the incident to the police spokesperson on the night it occurred and has since had to seek medical attention for his injuries. The WSCIJ has now called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to place the investigation under an independent mechanism outside the command structure implicated in the allegations. The Centre is demanding that authorities establish which personnel and units were deployed to the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate on the day of the attack and determine the mandate under which they were operating. It has also called for the preservation and review of all relevant records, including CCTV footage and body-camera footage if available.
This incident is part of a broader, deeply troubling pattern of attacks on journalists in Nigeria. The WSCIJ's 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report documented 245 incidents of violations affecting journalists and civic freedoms, with the Nigeria Police Force emerging as the most implicated state agency. The Centre warned that the latest assault reinforces concerns that attacks on journalists are not isolated occurrences but part of a wider threat to the openness and accountability required for democracy to thrive. The Centre has demanded appropriate accountability, including an apology and compensation for Ogwu's destroyed device and medical expenses. It has also urged security agencies to issue and enforce clear directives affirming the right of journalists to carry out legitimate reporting without obstruction.
As the calls for an independent investigation grow louder, the Nigerian media and civil society are watching closely to see whether the government will uphold its constitutional duty to protect citizens and press freedom, or whether the assault on Sunday Ogwu will become another case of institutional impunity. The WSCIJ has made its position clear: the safety of journalists and the sanctity of the civic space are non-negotiable for a functioning democracy.
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