In a troubling escalation of actions against the press in Nigeria, journalist Edna Ulaeto of OrderPaper was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) during an early morning raid on her home on Friday.
The arrest was linked to an article published by OrderPaper, which mistakenly reported on a DSS operation at the National Assembly, allegedly to prevent the removal of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Though OrderPaper quickly retracted the report and issued a public apology, the raid on Ulaeto’s home raises serious concerns about press freedom and due process.
According to a statement released by OrderPaper management, a group of armed men, identifying themselves as DSS officers from the Office of the National Security Adviser, stormed Ms. Ulaeto’s residence, forcibly entering her home in the early hours of the morning. Ms. Ulaeto, who was still in her nightwear, was allegedly mistreated by the officers and forcibly taken to an undisclosed location. The operatives searched through her personal belongings, causing panic and distress to her family and neighbors.
The statement from OrderPaper detailed how the journalist’s arrest appeared to be linked to the recent article published by the outlet regarding the DSS’s alleged involvement at the National Assembly. Although the story was retracted, with the organization issuing a public apology, Ulaeto’s phone number had reportedly been unlawfully tracked, leading to her home being raided.
Journalist Edna Ulaeto Arrested by DSS in Controversial Raid Over Retraction of National Assembly Report
Eyewitnesses described how masked officers arrived at Ulaeto’s residence, violently apprehending her while preventing neighbors from intervening or documenting the arrest. Several neighbors who attempted to record the incident or take photos were reportedly pushed aside, and some were forced to delete their footage under threats of arrest by the operatives.
The statement from OrderPaper emphasized that no formal notice or invitation had been sent to either the journalist or the news organization before the raid, raising serious concerns about the legality of the operation.
The manner in which the arrest was carried out has left Ulaeto’s family, colleagues, and neighbors in shock, with many expressing fear over her safety. Despite efforts to reach Ms. Ulaeto following her arrest, her whereabouts remain unknown.
OrderPaper further reported that their entire staff has been left in fear following the incident, uncertain about what might happen next. “This brazen, terrifying act has left the entire staff of OrderPaper living in fear, uncertain about what could happen next,” the news outlet said in its statement.
The organization also called on civil society organizations, human rights advocates, and the international community to urgently intervene and demand Ms. Ulaeto’s immediate release. They condemned the DSS’s actions as an attack on press freedom and human rights, warning of the dangerous precedent this incident could set for journalists and the media in Nigeria.
The arrest has ignited a wave of outrage from media and civil rights organizations, which have decried the intimidation of journalists as a direct threat to democracy and the constitutional right to free speech. In particular, the absence of formal charges or legal procedures has been criticized, with many calling for transparency and accountability from the security services involved in the operation.
This incident adds to a growing list of concerns about the relationship between the government and the media in Nigeria, with press freedom increasingly coming under scrutiny. As of now, Ms. Ulaeto’s situation remains unclear, with no information regarding her current location or the conditions of her detention, heightening fears for her safety.
