The International Press Centre (IPC), has condemned the persistent harassment of its executive director Lanre Arogundade by the Department of Security Services (DSS).
In a statement signed by Melody Akinjiyan, a press freedom officer on Tuesday, the center registered its displeasure over the persistent abuse of power and violation of Mr Arogundade’s basic rights.
On 11 April, officials of the SSS harassed Mr Arogundade at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.
“The incident of Thursday April 11, while Mr. Arogundade prepared to board a late-night Air France Flight to Berlin, Germany to participate in the respective general meetings and conferences of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) would be the umpteenth of such unwelcome development,” the statement reads.
“Arogundade is a renowned journalist, advocate for social justice and democracy, former Chairman of the Lagos State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists and former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students. We believe these roles and positions should not warrant his unending torment by the DSS.”
Recounting the encounter with the security operatives, Mr Arogundade in a Facebook post on Monday said, “I was harassed by DSS officials for about 40 minutes because they claimed my name was still flashing on their watchlist despite the declaration two years ago by the Director General of the State Security Security Service, Mr Yusuf Bichi that my name had been removed when he met a delegation of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) led by Musikilu Mojeed.”
Mr Arogundade additionally informed IPC management that the senior SSS official to whom he was referred threatened to bar him from traveling unless he produced his old passports describing the request as “bizarre and ridiculous”.
The press group reiterates that continuous harassment by the secret police violates Mr Arogundade’s right to freedom of movement while undermining basic democratic principles.
IPC call on the Director General of the DSS, and in particular officers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport to desist from further harassing Mr Arogundade.
