The Arrest of the INK Editor

BY DOPSE EBEREFIAK

I have a confession to make: I don’t hate anyone but I find it difficult to love the police – Yours truly.

In the words of Henry Grunwald “journalism can never be silent: That is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air”.

Journalists have the right to freedom of speech, expression and association. And this unarguably includes the right to criticize, comment as well as present reports objectively and aggressively without fear and favour. But in the past few years in Akwa Ibom State, impunity looms as these rights have been gruesomely trampled upon especially by the political class.

Some journalists in the course of performing their duties have severally being intimidated and assaulted. They face violence and critical attacks for daring to bring the corrupt practice of politicians to public domain and not for a day as any politician being held accountable by our own “friends”- the police. Wait! Why would they, when there are said to have become agent provocateur and a willing tool of oppression in the hands of politicians.

They wrongfully and deliberately arrest as well as torture journalist at every blown whistle of a politician. Yes, policing with impunity. And these form the bases why yours truly find it difficult to love these men in black as they no longer dignify the law. For observers, it is quite shameful that members of the once formidable institution discharge their duties to the interest and satisfaction of the political class. 

Remember the arrest of Thomas Thomas, the Global Concord Editor on the orders of a Former Governor and now Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio; arrest of Global Post Editor Gideon Ekere on the orders of the State Governor Udom Emmanuel. These calculated attempts to clamp down on media (the voice of the masses) in the state are yet to end. 

The Ink Newspaper Editor Nsibiet John was arrested on the orders of the Deputy Governor. But hear me: Journalists will never stop churning out reports objectively, without fear and favour no matter whose ox is gored. And like have always said any leader who is too timid to stand criticism has skeleton in his cupboard. The vulgarity of the provocative situation is that the Deputy, Governor Moses Ekpo was once a practicing journalist. 

The media is the primary constituency that gave him the enabling ground to explode. Today he is a government official, the number 2 citizen of the state and this is how he pays back with mangled coins; ordering the arrest and alleged torturing of his colleague over a report he claims to be faulty. And I ask don’t we have the Nigerian Press Council for him to have seek redress. Let me sound like an alarmist, the police had no rights to have allegedly tortured the Ink Editor to the point of his collapsed, before taking him to the Magistrate Court at Fulga street, Uyo, the next morning. It is a flagrant violation of law, a brazen unabashed affront of his human rights.

But the good news behind the ugly incident is that he has being granted bail. The veteran journalist cum politician, Moses Ekpo and the rest of his likes should bury their minds in the following words of wisdom “... that all through history, they have been tyrants, murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. ALWAYS”.

Consequently, the arrest of the INK Editor Nsibiet John and his trial at the Magistrate Court is a clear message to the Press and the time to act is now.