Journalist ‘abducted’ in Abuja as CPJ asks authorities to ensure his safe return
Stanley Ugagbe, a senior investigative reporter with online news platform SecretsReporters, has reportedly been abducted by unidentified armed men in Abuja.
In a statement issued by Fejiro Oliver, editor-in-chief of SecretsReporters, the media organisation said Ugagbe was taken from his residence in the Jikwoyi Phase II area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday evening by four men dressed in civilian clothing.
Oliver said the operatives confiscated the journalist’s mobile phones and laptop before forcing him into a black Mitsubishi Pajero sport utility vehicle (SUV) with tinted windows and no visible registration number.
He said the vehicle sped off to an undisclosed location, while the whereabouts of the journalist remain unknown.
According to him, repeated efforts by Ugagbe’s family, colleagues and legal representatives to establish contact with him or determine where he is being held have been unsuccessful.
He said no security agency, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has acknowledged having the journalist in custody.
He alleged that the incident may be connected to an investigative report it recently published on Emem Usoro, deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to the publication, the report contained allegations relating to property acquisitions and other matters involving the CBN official.
The publication did not provide evidence linking the alleged abduction to the investigation, and no security agency has commented on the claim.
Oliver described the incident as a violation of constitutional guarantees of press freedom and freedom of expression.
He called on the authorities to disclose Ugagbe’s whereabouts, grant his family and legal representatives’ access to him, and either charge him before a competent court within the time prescribed by law or release him unconditionally.
The publication also urged security agencies to end what it described as intimidation of investigative journalists.
The statement appealed to media organisations, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), civil society groups and other stakeholders to press for the journalist’s immediate release.
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS and the Nigeria Police Force had not issued any statement on the alleged abduction, while the claims made by SecretsReporters had not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has appealed to authorities to ensure a safe return of the abducted journalist.
“Nigerian authorities must swiftly investigate the whereabouts of journalist Stanley Ugagbe, ensure his immediate safety, and hold those responsible for his disappearance to account,” Angela Quintal, CPJ Africa director, said in a statement on Friday.
“The Nigerian government must act urgently to end the horrific pattern of enforced disappearances of journalists and others in a country that claims to uphold democratic values.”
