5 The Nation journalists, CSO freed, arrest flayed

*Managing Editor may be charged today in Abuja

BY EMMA NNADOZIE, INNOCENT ANABA, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & GBENGA OLARINOYE

LAGOS – FIVE arrested journalists and the Chief Security Officer, CSO, of The Nation newspapers, who were picked up on Tuesday by Force CID Headquarters, Lagos and Abuja, were released yesterday night.

The Nation journalists and the CSO were arrested in connection with a cover story, entitled: “Obasanjo’s ‘secret’ letter to Jonathan stirs anger. Ex-President seeks sack of PTDF chief, four others.”

Vanguard gathered that the Managing Editor in charge of Northern Operations, Mr. Yusuf Alli, will be arraigned in Abuja, today. Released were the Bureau Chief, Mr. Yomi Odunuga and Mr. Lawal Ogienagbon, Deputy Editor, Mr. Lawal Ogienagbon, who were detained in Abuja.

Others released are Mr. Dapo Olufade, News Editor of the newspaper’s weekend titles; company’s lawyer, Mr. John Unachukwu; Chief Security Officer, CSO, Mr. Jide Adegbenjo and Labour Correspondent, Mrs. Dupe Olaoye-Oshinkolu, were released last night and asked to report back to the Force CID, headquarters, today by 12 noon.

Olufade, who spoke to Vanguard said, “We were treated well, but as you know, you cannot compare prison to freedom. It is the price we pay for democracy.”

Our experience in detention
On what he ate while in detention, he said, “I did not eat all through. I just decided not to eat anything. They brought food for us, which they called Jonathan food, but I decided not to eat it.”

He added that they were not allowed to make use of their mobile phones, adding that they were ordered to return today at  12 noon.

Mr. Unachukwu told Vanguard that they were interrogated and asked to make statements on what they knew about the story and the said Obasanjo letter.

He said they slept on small mattresses, while their respective homes and their offices were thoroughly searched by security operatives for the Obasanjo letter.

Unachukwu said: “We just returned from a search of our houses. We were accompanied by a woman Inspector, Mojisola Kelani and Sgt Amaechi Augustine, who conducted search of our various homes for the Obasanjo letter to Jonathan, but nothing incriminating was found in any of our respective homes.”

Vanguard gathered that Olufade’s home was not searched rather he was accompanied to The Nation’s office, where they ransacked all the offices in search of the said letter.

The search was led by CSP Emmanuel Ogolo.