The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has condemned the alleged assault on Mr Sunday Michael Ogwu, the Editor of Pinnacle Daily, by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Lugbe, Abuja, demanding a transparent investigation into the incident.

The Centre, in a statement issued on Monday, described the assault, including allegations that Ogwu was beaten with an electric cable and had his mobile phone destroyed, as deeply troubling and a serious threat to press freedom, journalists’ safety and citizens’ fundamental right to document the conduct of public authorities.

The statement comes days after the FCT Police Command invited Ogwu to its headquarters to make an official statement over his allegation that police officers assaulted him while he was documenting a demolition exercise in Lugbe, Abuja.

The police invitation followed videos circulated by Ogwu on social media on August 19, 2026, in which he alleged that officers attached to the Lugbe Police Station assaulted him.

The Command said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, had immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation and directed that any officer found culpable should face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with existing laws and regulations.

According to the police, several invitations had been extended to Ogwu since August 19 by the Police Public Relations Officer to visit the Command headquarters, make an official statement and provide evidence to assist the investigation.

However, the Command alleged that the journalist declined to honour the invitations while continuing to circulate videos of the incident online.

The police described his actions as “seemingly in an attempt to mobilise public sentiment and create undue pressure around an ongoing investigation.”

The Command subsequently formally invited Ogwu to appear at its headquarters at noon on August 21 to provide his statement and evidence supporting his allegations.

Ogwu had alleged that he was assaulted while documenting a demolition exercise involving police officers and members of a vigilante group.

In a video seen by SaharaReporters, the journalist displayed what he described as injuries sustained during the alleged assault, including a swollen finger and bruises on his body.

He alleged that police officers beat him with an electric cable after he began recording the operation, before handcuffing him and seizing his phone.
“You approached me, and I told you I was a journalist. The simplest thing you would have done, if you doubted, was to have asked for my credentials,” Ogwu said while recounting the incident.
He also alleged that the officers ordered him into a police vehicle despite his objections and questioned why he was being treated like a criminal while documenting the operation.
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had also reported the alleged assault and seizure of Ogwu’s phone, identifying the officer leading the operation as CSP Ukorobo Uchenna, the Divisional Police Officer of the Lugbe Police Division.
However, the FCT Police Command reportedly said the officers involved could not have been attached to the FCT Police Command, maintaining that the police do not conduct demolitions and directing inquiries concerning the exercise to the FCT Administration.
The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) subsequently condemned the alleged assault, harassment and destruction of Ogwu’s phones, describing the incident as a threat to press freedom.
Against this backdrop, the Wole Soyinka Centre expressed particular concern over the response of the FCT Police Command following the incident.

The Centre said that rather than providing clear answers to the allegations and identifying the officers involved and measures put in place to discipline them, the Command’s August 21 statement focused on Ogwu’s alleged failure to honour its invitation and his decision to circulate videos of the incident online, describing the approach as worrisome.

“A journalist who alleges that he was assaulted by security personnel should be able to seek medical attention, legal advice and support from professional or press freedom organisations without such actions being portrayed as an attempt to obstruct an investigation or mobilise public sentiment,” the Centre said.

WSCIJ added that Ogwu has the right under the law to publicly speak about his experience.

According to WSCIJ, Ogwu has since sought medical attention for injuries allegedly sustained during the incident and indicated his willingness to honour the police invitation accompanied by his lawyers.

The Centre urged the police to ensure that his engagement with the authorities is conducted in a manner that respects his rights, dignity and safety.

WSCIJ further linked the incident to what it described as broader challenges confronting journalists and citizens in Nigeria’s civic space.

The Centre 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, including harassment, intimidation, arrests, assault and other forms of interference with journalists and citizens.

WSCIJ said the report was particularly instructive because the Nigeria Police was the most implicated state agency documented in the report.

The Centre said the latest incident reinforces concerns that attacks and restrictions on journalists are not isolated occurrences but part of a wider threat to the openness and accountability required for democracy to thrive.
“A free and safe civic space is indispensable to a functioning democracy, and journalists must be able to investigate, report and document matters of public interest without intimidation, violence or unlawful interference,” WSCIJ said.
The Centre called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to place the investigation under an independent mechanism outside the command structure implicated in the allegation.
It also demanded that authorities establish which personnel and units were deployed to the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate on August 19, 2026, and determine the mandate under which they were operating.
WSCIJ further called for the preservation and review of relevant deployment records, operational orders, patrol logs, CCTV footage, body-camera footage where available, and other evidence capable of establishing what occurred.
The Centre demanded appropriate accountability where wrongdoing is established, including an apology and compensation for Ogwu’s destroyed device and medical expenses arising from the alleged assault.
It also urged security and law enforcement agencies to issue and enforce clear directives affirming the right of journalists to carry out legitimate reporting and document public operations without obstruction, seizure of equipment or physical harm.
“WSCIJ stands with Mr. Ogwu and all journalists facing threats or attacks in the course of their legitimate professional duties,” the Centre said.
WSCIJ reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening investigative journalism, promoting accountability and advancing social justice, while calling for a free, safe and saner civic space where journalism, civic participation and democracy can thrive.
For Advert, Event Coverage/Press Conference Invite, Story/Article Publication & Other Media Services
Contact Us On WhatsApp
Send Email To: citizennewsng@gma Across Nigeria And The World