Former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the African Union of Journalists (AUJ), Lanre Ogundipe, has called for the immediate release of journalist Stanley Ugagbe, warning that the treatment of journalists as criminals undermines the rule of law and threatens Nigeria’s democratic values.
Ogundipe, in a statement issued on Sunday, expressed concern over Ugagbe’s arrest and continued detention, describing the development as one that extends beyond the liberty of an individual journalist to the broader issue of press freedom and the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the media.
According to him, the growing tendency to subject journalists to arrests, prolonged detention and intimidation while carrying out their constitutional responsibilities reflects a disturbing pattern that could weaken democratic institutions.
He argued that where journalists are alleged to have violated any law, the Constitution and existing statutes already provide lawful procedures for investigation, invitation and prosecution, making arbitrary arrests and coercive tactics unnecessary.
Ogundipe said practices such as secretive arrests, confiscation of work equipment and prolonged detention not only erode public confidence in law enforcement agencies but also diminish respect for the rule of law.
“The media is neither an appendage of government nor an enemy of the State. It exists as a constitutional institution in the service of the public interest to inform citizens, interrogate power and promote accountability,” he stated.
He warned that attempts to criminalise journalism through arbitrary enforcement actions threaten democratic values and discourage public-interest reporting.
Reflecting on his nearly five decades in journalism, including his tenure as president of both the NUJ and AUJ, Ogundipe said the current trend was particularly troubling given the sacrifices made by journalists during Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.
He noted that many media professionals endured years of repression in pursuit of democratic governance and cautioned against a return to practices that instill fear within the press.
The former NUJ president urged the relevant authorities to either release Ugagbe immediately or, where there is sufficient legal justification, arraign him before a court of competent jurisdiction without delay.
He also called on law enforcement agencies to review their approach to journalists, stressing that democracy should be judged by its protection of the rights of those whose professional responsibility is to hold public officials accountable.
“A nation that treats its journalists as fugitives ultimately diminishes the dignity of its own laws and weakens the foundations of its democracy,” he said.
