Rita Odafe
The Imo State Police Command has conducted a raid on the Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper office, apprehending Deputy Editor Martine Opara and several journalists.
According to the media outlet’s publisher and editor-in-chief, Precious Nwadike, the rationale behind the police operation is still unclear.
The police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, initially stated that no official report had been received regarding the raid but later confirmed that the Anti-Narcotics Unit had detained the newspaper employees.
While the police public relations officer acknowledged the arrests, they did not provide insight into the reasons behind them, although it was confirmed that all detained individuals had since been released.
This incident has drawn criticism from journalists, who view it as an infringement on press freedoms in the region.
Owerri-based journalist Austin Agunonu condemned the police’s actions as disrespectful and disheartening, especially given that local journalists have been instrumental in supporting police efforts to tackle insecurity.
He expressed concern over the recent trend of police conducting raids without prior notice, questioning the rationale for their aggressive approach.
