Journalist Freed After Shocking Cyberbullying Arrest Sparks Outrage

Journalist Freed After Shocking Cyberbullying Arrest Sparks Outrage

Journalist Adegbenro Nurudeen Adenekan has finally returned home after police detained him in what many described as a frightening midnight arrest. He was picked up from his home in Agege, Lagos, by men who claimed to be from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon. But his family said the officers gave no clear reason for their action, and for hours, no one knew where he had been taken.

The shocking nature of the arrest caused fear and confusion among neighbors and the local media community. Some believed he had been kidnapped.

Speaking by phone after his release, Mr. Adenekan tried to calm the growing panic. “Though the police came to pick me up this morning, the investigation continues, and everything is under control. Let us be calm, and I will issue a proper statement shortly,” he said during an interview with AgegeTV.

He assured everyone he was not harmed. “The police officers were civil and professional in their conduct, contrary to reports by some people that I was rough-handled—there is nothing of such,” he said. “I want to appreciate everyone for their concern and for all the phone calls, including those from the Nigeria Police Force.”

Mr. Adenekan is not just a journalist. He also works as a lecturer and media consultant. Days before his arrest, he posted several stories on his Facebook page. Some of them included reports from a news site, Hotnewsnaija.com.ng.

Early Wednesday morning, SaharaReporters confirmed that police had taken him to the FCID command in Alagbon. The arrest was based on serious claims. According to a police source, Mr. Adenekan was accused of cyberbullying.

The arrest followed a written petition submitted to the police by a law firm, T.C. Eze Chambers. The petition was written on behalf of Chief Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi, Chairman of Agege Local Government. It accused Mr. Adenekan and some unnamed people of using social media to harass and threaten the chairman.

The petition stated that the harassment involved cyberstalking, bullying, publishing scandalous content, threatening someone’s life, inciting the public, and trying to cause chaos.

ASP Aminat Mayegun, the spokesperson for the FCID at Alagbon, confirmed that the arrest was based on that petition. She, however, denied claims that Mr. Adenekan was abducted. She said the police only invited him for questioning.

“Mr. Adegbenro Nurudeen was never abducted or arrested by the FCID as widely reported; he was only invited for questioning,” she said in a statement.

She went on to explain the background of the petition. According to her, the trouble started after Mr. Adenekan allegedly approached Chief Egunjobi for a job as a media assistant. When the chairman turned him down, things reportedly went sour.

The petition claims that Mr. Adenekan and others began making online posts that targeted the chairman. It further says they used multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts—some in their names and others run by proxies—to spread hurtful messages against Mr. Egunjobi.

The police say this behavior may have triggered tension and posed a threat to public peace. That was why they acted quickly on the petition.

Despite the claims, Mr. Adenekan has not been officially charged with any crime as of now. He has simply been released and asked to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

Many journalists and press freedom advocates have spoken out about the case. They say the way the police handled it—especially the late-night arrest—raises questions about how authorities treat members of the press.

For now, Mr. Adenekan is back with his family. But the investigation continues, and the outcome remains uncertain.

His case has sparked strong reactions online, with people calling for greater protection for journalists and for better rules around arrests involving the media. Some citizens fear that such incidents, if not properly checked, could discourage journalists from doing their job of speaking truth to power.