Why Onuorah was arrested – Police; How he was ‘abducted’ in the presence of wife, children, without warrant

By Stanley Nwanosike

Enugu, May 23, 2024

The Police Command in Enugu state has said that an Abuja-based online publisher, Mr. Madu Onuorah, was arrested over alleged defamatory publication against a US-based Reverend Sister.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Thursday in Enugu.

Ndukwe said: “The Enugu State Police Command is in receipt of several publications alleging the abduction of an Abuja-based online news publisher, one Madu Onuorah.

“The Command wishes to state that, contrary to the allegations, he was duly arrested in Abuja with the assistance of police operatives from Ebonyi State Police Command and the aid of intelligence, after efforts made to formally invite him failed.”

He explained that Onuorah’s arrest followed the receipt of a written petition to the Commissioner of Police in Enugu state command, against him, over an alleged defamatory publication he made against a US-based Reverend Sister.

Ndukwe said that the CP, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, had ordered the office handling the case to professionally investigate and ensure that justice prevails.

“The commissioner called on the press family, particularly the leadership and members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and associates of the suspect, to exercise patience.

“He also assured that the needful will be done in the case,” he added.

Abuja

Meanwhile, a statement by the management of the Globalupfront Newspaper (Online), whose Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Onuorah is said that the journalist “was whisked away by men of the Nigerian Police Force at about 6pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.”

According to the statement, copied to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Media Houses, “About ten fully-armed policemen stormed his residence in Lugbe, Abuja, in two Sienna buses.

“He was arrested in the presence of his wife and children who fruitlessly demanded from the police why they were arresting the head of the family.

“The police have seized Mr. Onuorah’s phones, thereby completely cutting him off from communication with people, including his family members.

“He was not even allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was whisked away to the Lugbe police station by the stern looking operatives.

“To make sure Mr. Onuorah did not get attention or bail, the policemen who arrested him, though not of the Lugbe Police Station, simply dumped him at the Station and left no traces for friends and family members to reach them.

“The Management of Globalupfront Newspapers states as follows:
1. That the Police should release Mr. Madu Onuorah immediately and unconditionally.
2. That Mr. Onuorah is an experienced Journalist, former Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, former Managing-Director of The AUTHORITY Newspaper, who operates within the ambit of the law.
3. That anybody who has any issue against Mr. Onuorah should approach the law court and not turn the Nigerian Police into a Gestapo outfit that bullies a man in the presence of his wife and children.
4. That any second Mr. Onuorah spends in police custody constitutes a serious infringement against his fundamental rights and a continuation of the assault on freedom of expression that has become frequent occurrence in Nigeria recently.”