THE Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has condemned the reported assault of Mr Sunday Michael Ogwu, Editor of Pinnacle Daily, allegedly by police and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) personnel in Lugbe, Abuja.
The Centre, in a statement, called for a transparent, independent and impartial investigation into the incident.
It said the reported assault, including allegations that Ogwu was physically attacked with an electric cable and had his mobile phone destroyed, posed a serious threat to press freedom and journalists’ safety.
WSCIJ also said the incident undermined citizens’ fundamental right to document the conduct of public authorities.
The Centre expressed concern over the response of the FCT Police Command following the incident.
It said the command’s Aug. 21 statement focused on Ogwu’s alleged refusal to honour a police invitation instead of providing clear answers to the assault allegations.
According to WSCIJ, Ogwu has since sought medical attention for injuries sustained during the incident and indicated his willingness to honour the police invitation accompanied by his lawyers.
It urged the police to ensure that his engagement with the authorities respected his rights, dignity and safety.
WSCIJ said the incident reflected broader challenges confronting journalists and citizens in Nigeria’s civic space.
It cited its 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure, which documented 245 incidents of violations affecting journalists and civic freedoms in 2025.
The violations included harassment, intimidation, arrests, assault and other forms of interference with journalists and citizens.
The Centre said the Nigeria Police was the most implicated state agency documented in the report.
WSCIJ urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu, to place the investigation under an independent mechanism outside the command structure implicated in the allegation.
It also called for the identification of personnel and units deployed to the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate on Aug. 19, 2026, as well as their mandate.
The Centre urged authorities to preserve and review deployment records, operational orders, patrol logs, CCTV and body-camera footage, where available, alongside other relevant evidence.
It called for appropriate accountability where wrongdoing was established, including an apology and compensation for Ogwu’s destroyed device and medical expenses arising from the alleged assault.
WSCIJ further urged security and law enforcement agencies to issue and enforce clear directives affirming journalists’ right to conduct legitimate reporting and document public operations without obstruction, seizure of equipment or physical harm.
The Centre said attacks and restrictions on journalists should not be treated as isolated incidents, but as part of a wider threat to the openness and accountability required for democracy to thrive.
WSCIJ reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening investigative journalism, promoting accountability and advancing social justice, while calling for a free and safe civic space where journalism and democracy could thrive.
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