* Release or charge him to court – Fejiro
By Ime Silas
A senior staff member of online news platform Secrets Reporters was allegedly abducted in Abuja on Wednesday, the platform’s publisher Fejiro Oliver has claimed, prompting a public appeal to security agencies for his immediate release or arraignment in court.
According to a statement signed by Oliver and circulated on Thursday, the individual named is Stanley Ugagbe, identified as both a reporter with Secrets Reporters and Operations Manager of the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking.
Oliver alleges that Ugagbe was intercepted “yesterday while coming from a training the company sent him to.” The statement claims the operatives later took Ugagbe to his residence to seize his official phone and laptop.
Allegations Against CBN Deputy Governor
The statement links the alleged abduction to a prior Secrets Reporters publication concerning Ms. Emem Nnanna Etuk Usoro, the Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor in charge of Operations. Oliver’s account alleges that the report referenced court filings by a spouse, claims of a personal relationship with one Jerry Edirin, and the reported ownership of two homes in the United States valued at over N4 billion.
Oliver alleges that the action was carried out “on the orders of CBN Deputy Governor Emem Usoro.” Secrets Reporters did not provide court documents, police reports, or other corroborating evidence to support the allegation of who ordered the operation.
As of press time, Ms. Usoro, the CBN, and Mr. Jerry Edirin have not issued a public response to the claims contained in Oliver’s statement. Under standard journalistic practice, all parties named in allegations are entitled to a right of reply.
SSS Says No Record of Arrest
Oliver said he contacted the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, after being told the operatives were armed with “Israeli Tavor” rifles.
According to the account, Ajayi, while on a call with Oliver, asked a senior operations official whether any _Secrets Reporters_ journalist had been arrested. The statement says the official replied in the negative. Ajayi was then said to have directed enquiries to the FCT Command.
About an hour later, Oliver said he spoke with the FCT Command Director, Dauda Esq, who told him Ugagbe was “not in their custody” and that efforts had been made to confirm that no FCT operatives carried out such an arrest.
The DSS could not be independently reached for comment at the time of filing this report.
Police Response and Search Efforts
Oliver also said he contacted the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Disu, describing the response as “very cold,” and added that the Force Public Relations Officer had not provided assistance.
The statement further claims that a search was conducted at “police facilities in former SARS, FCT command and parts of police HQs” without locating Ugagbe. Oliver described the alleged method of arrest as irregular, citing the use of an “unmarked tinted Pajero Mitsubishi” and an operative allegedly dressed in knickers, which he said is “peculiar with the Nigerian Police.”
The Nigeria Police Force has not confirmed any arrest, detention, or operation involving Ugagbe. Requests for comment sent to the Force PRO had not been responded to as of the time of publication.
Calls for Immediate Release or Court Charge
Oliver described the incident as “a case of kidnapping and assassination attempt against our staff by the Nigerian Police,” and questioned why operatives would allegedly leave an outside station without documenting their arrival at a base command.
“In a time where kidnappers and bandits are kidnapping innocent citizens, the Nigerian Police has turned to kidnappers too,” the statement read. “You cannot keep abducting journalists on civil cases and hiding them for extrajudicial killings later.”
He called on the police to “immediately release Stanley or charge him to court.”
Context: Press Freedom and Cybercrime Act
The allegation comes amid ongoing public debate over the use of security agencies in disputes involving journalists and public officials. Oliver referenced a prior case last year in which he said the DSS declined involvement, stating that the DG “will not be party to using cybercrime charge against journalists or allow public figures use them for such.”
Media rights groups have repeatedly urged security agencies to follow due process, including presenting journalists before a court within the constitutionally stipulated period, rather than holding them in undisclosed locations.
What Happens Next
At the time of filing, Ugagbe’s whereabouts remain officially unconfirmed by state security agencies. _Secrets Reporters_ says it continues to search police formations in the FCT.
This newspaper was unable to independently verify the circumstances of Ugagbe’s absence, the identity of the operatives alleged to have carried out the action, or the claims regarding the CBN Deputy Governor.
The CBN, Nigeria Police Force, DSS, and all individuals named in the allegations have been invited to provide statements, documents, or clarifications. This report will be updated with any responses received.
