The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has ordered for the arrest and detention of a Journalist, Rotimi Jolayemi, also known as Oba Akewi, over a poem read during a radio programme, which the Minister considered as critical of him.
Before the Journalist turned himself in to the Police, the Minister ordered for the arrest of his wife, Mrs. Dorcas Jolayemi, and 2 of the Media Practitioner’s brothers, John and Joseph, who were all locked up for 8, 9, and 2 days, respectively.
However, since the Journalist turned himself in to the Police Headquarters, in Ilorin, Kwara State, on May 6, 2020, he has not been charged to court nor granted bail, instead he has being reportedly subjected to inhuman treatment, at the orders of the Minister of Information, allegedly.
While condemning the situation in a statement on Monday, by its National President, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said that the detention of Jolayemi is unlawful and detestable.
The statement partly reads: “The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights is alarmed at the continued detention of a Journalist, Mr. Rotimi Jolayemi, said to have been arrested at the instance of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on account of a poem read over the radio, considered critical of the Minister.
“It is worrisome that Alhaji Lai Mohammed will have a hand in the arrest of the wife of the Journalist, Mrs. Dorcas Jolayemi, and two of his brothers, John Olalere Jolayemi and Joseph Toba Jolayemi, who were kept in detention for eight, nine and two days, respectively, while the Journalist was being sought.
“Furthermore, that ever since Mr. Jolayemi surrendered himself to the Police Headquarters, in Ilorin, Kwara State, on May 6, 2020, he is still being held till date, without being charged to court or granted bail.
“The CDHR condemns in totality the violation of the rights of Mr. Jolayemi’s wife and brothers, whose liberty were taken away from them for no other reason, than being relations of Mr. Jolayemi.
“The continued detention of Jolayemi by the Police 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.
“We demand the immediate release of Mr. Jolayemi, a public apology to him, his wife, and brothers, and payment of compensation to all four of them.”