Take Nigeria Police to court -Falana speaks on arrest of Premium Times Reporter, Ogundipe

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has called for the
release of Samuel Ogundipe, a Premium Times reporter.

The police arrested Ogundipe on Wednesday over a report the
organisation published on the sack of Lawal Daura, former
director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The police had reportedly asked Ogundipe to disclose how he obtained
the letter used for a story but the journalist declined in line with
the ethics of Journalism.

However Falana, in a statement issued on Tuesday, called on
PremiumTimes to institute an action in court against the Nigerian
Police Force, regardless of whether Mr Ogundipe is subsequently
released or kept in prison.

The statement read: "Whether Samuel is released tonight or arraigned
in court tomorrow by the police, PT should take advantage of this
unlawful demand of the police to challenge criminal libel and other
obnoxious anti-press laws in the statute book.

"While declaring seditious publications illegal and unconstitutional
in 1983 in Arthur Nwankwo v The State; the Court of Appeal held that
any public officer who feels defamed or embarrassed by any publication
should sue for libel and not use the machinery of the State to harass
his political opponents.

"The court proceeded to urge Nigerians to resist any attempt to use
any of the laws imported into the country by the erstwhile colonial
rulers to repress us."