by Zainab Imam
The Niger State Police Command has detained a Minna-based journalist, Ahmed Isah Sakpe, popularly known as Ahmed Lee, over alleged cyberbullying and defamation stemming from a report he published about a senior aide to the Niger State governor.
Police sources said the journalist’s arrest followed a petition by the government official, who accused Sakpe of making false and damaging claims in an online publication and related social-media posts. The police confirmed that the reporter was invited for questioning and subsequently held while investigators review the allegations under provisions of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
According to authorities, the complaint centres on reputational harm allegedly caused through electronic communication. The police indicated that Sakpe could be arraigned in court if the investigation establishes sufficient grounds for prosecution.
The detention has sparked concern among journalists and civil-society organisations, who warn that criminal defamation and cybercrime provisions are increasingly used by public officials to stifle scrutiny and discourage investigative reporting. Colleagues of the detained reporter insist that his story addressed issues of public interest relating to governance and should not attract criminal sanctions.
Media-rights advocates have called on the police to either charge the journalist promptly or grant him bail, stressing that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression and of the press. They argue that disputes over allegedly defamatory publications by journalists should ordinarily be pursued through civil litigation rather than detention.
As of press time, the Niger State Police Command had not announced formal charges, while efforts by the journalist’s associates and legal representatives to secure his release were said to be ongoing. The case underscores the growing tension between enforcement of cybercrime laws and protection of press freedom in Nigeria, particularly at state level where local reporters often face pressure over reports involving political office holders.
Abuja Network News
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