Police Storm Premium Times Head Office, Arrest Publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi

The Nigeria Police have raided the head office of online newspaper, Premium Times in Abuja, arresting the newspaper’s publisher.

The publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, was arrested alongside the paper’s judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu.

Plain-clothed officers conducted search at the office shortly after 5pm. Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

Premium Times reports that the arrests came days after the newspaper turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations.

The paper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, condemned the raid.

“They should stop deluding themselves that they can muzzle the press and intimidate Premium Times,” he said.

In a similar vein, the publisher of SIGNAL, Ohimai Amaize condemned the raid describing it as “sad and sickening.”

SIGNAL was yet to reach Olorunyomi at the time of this report.

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