SecretsReporters
The shrinking civic space for journalists in Nigeria has once again come under renewed attack following the disappearance of a senior reporter, Stanley Ugagbe, with SecretsReporters after he was reportedly taken away by armed men suspected to be from the State Security Service in Abuja.
Information available to SecretsReporters discloses that Mr. Stanley Ugagbe, a senior reporter with the organisation, was taken from his residence in Jikwoyi Phase 2, opposite the police station, on Wednesday evening shortly after returning from work.
Eyewitnesses told SecretsReporters that a group of armed men, said to be dressed in civilian clothing, carrying a gun different from the AK-47 rifle, carrying a Tavor weapon similar to that of the State Security Service, and putting on jean and knicker with no uniforms, arrived at the residence and forcefully took Ugagbe away. According to the witnesses, the men confiscated his mobile phones and laptop before bundling him into a black Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with heavily tinted windows and no visible registration number.
As of the time of filing this report, Ugagbe’s whereabouts remain unknown. Efforts to reach him have been unsuccessful, while family members and colleagues say they have not received any information regarding his location or the reason for his arrest.
Sources familiar with the incident believe the operation is connected to an investigative report linked to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s deputy governor Emem Usoro, recently published by SecretsReporters titled, “EXCLUSIVE: CBN Deputy Governor Emem Usoro Linked to N3.6bn Los Angeles Property Amid Questions Over Asset Declaration Compliance (Part 2).” and an Adultery Scandal Story. However, no official agency has confirmed any link between the publication and Ugagbe’s disappearance.
Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information. Similarly, Section 22 of the Constitution places a responsibility on the press to hold government accountable to the people.
SecretsReporters calls on the relevant authorities to immediately disclose Stanley Ugagbe’s whereabouts if he is in official custody, ensure his safety, and uphold the rule of law. The organisation also urges security agencies to respect constitutional safeguards and the rights of journalists in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.