Rotimi Jolayemi, a freelance broadcaster, has been detained
for 12 days allegedly on the order of Lai Mohammed, minister of information and
culture.
Jolayemi, known as Oba Akewi, is the vice-chairman Freelance
and Independent Radio Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN), Osun state
chapter.
Olu Olugbade, the FIBAN chairman who confirmed the
development said Jolayemi had recorded an eight-minute audio
critical of the minister and released via WhatsApp.
“The audio started going viral, and days after, his wife and
brothers were traced in Kwara where they lived and were detained by the
police,” Olugbade said.
“We were then told the minister had listened to the audio
and tagged it hate speech. Comrade Jolayemi later showed up at the police
headquarters in Ilorin and submitted himself for investigation. He was then
moved to Abuja and since we’ve not been allowed access to him.
“Every time we went there with our lawyers, they would turn
us back. We asked that he be charged but the police say they don’t have
anything to use against him yet.”
Olugbade said his organisation has made effort in appealing
to the minister but its appeal fell on deaf ears.
He said Jolayemi is a law-abiding citizen and would not set out
to hurt the minister. He also raised concerns over the health condition of the
detained broadcaster.
“Jolayemi’s health can’t cope with this kind of detention
and I’m afraid if he’s not freed on time, things might get worse,” he said.
Osagie Obayuwana, president of the Committee for the Defence
of Human Rights (CDHR), in a statement condemned the detention of Jolayemi’s
family members, saying it is a violation of section 7 of the administration of
criminal justice act, which forbids hostage taking and the arrest of any person
in place of another.
“It is worrisome that Alhaji Lai Mohammed would have a hand
in the arrest of the wife of Mr Jolayemi, Mrs Dorcas Jolayemi, and two of his
brothers who were kept in detention for eight days, nine days and two days
respectively as hostages, while the journalist, Mr Rotimi Jolayemi, was being
sought,” the statement read.
“Furthermore, that even since Mr Jolayemi surrendered
himself to the police headquarters at Ilorin, Kwara state on May 6, 2020, he is
still being held till date, 12 days later, without being charged to court or
granted bail.
“The continued detention of Mr. Jolayemi by the police and
at the instance of Alhaji Lai Mohammed is tantamount to punishing a citizen for
the expression of his opinion; this is not justifiable in our Nigeria of
today,” the statement further read.
“As the mouthpiece of the General Buhari Govemment and
Minister of Information and Culture, one would have thought that Alhaji
Mohammed would subscribe to the democratic tenet of letting different ideas
contend; furthermore, that the culture of free expression of all shades of
opinion is one that the Hon. Minister would hold dear. Being a man of letters
himself, one would have also expected that the Hon. Minister would react in writing
to the content of Mr. Jolayemi’s poem.”
CDHR said it is surprised that the minister would want to be
remembered for being associated with a culture of repression.
Demanding the immediate release of Jolayemi, CDHR also said
a public apology must be made to him, his wife and his brothers and payment of
compensation to all four of them.
The minister did not return calls placed to his phone line
and was yet to respond to a message seeking his reaction.
Frank Mba, police spokesperson, did not also respond to
message seeking reaction on the matter.
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