THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of a whistleblower Bristol Tamunobiefiri, also known as PIDOM.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
According to the statement, PIDOM was arrested on August 5, 2024, in his hotel room in Rivers State by operatives of the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC).
Adejobi stated that the PIDOM was taken into custody due to accusations of “committing serious offences that undermine the integrity of government operations”.
He further alleged that multiple allegations had been made against the suspect, including unlawful possession, unauthorised disclosure of classified documents, cyber-related offences, and other charges
“We will do due diligence in carrying out a thorough investigation into the cases,” Adejobi stated.
The statement also reported that the force is committed to thoroughly enforcing the law and ensuring a safer Nigeria for its citizens.
This confirmation follows revelation that the anonymous whistleblower, known as PIDOMNIGERIA on X.com, is indeed alive and in police custody, and is expected to be arraigned in court the following week.
This has generated concern among the Nigerian online community, leading to a viral campaign on X.com with users using hashtags such as#FreePidom, #PIDOM, and #WhereisPidom, among others.
Attacks and harassment of journalists and other citizens by security operatives especially the police using the NPF-NCCC have remained a great concern in Nigeria.
The ICIR reported in December 2023 how security agents abused their power and flouted the Nigerian Constitution by harassing 39 journalists in the line of duty, nationwide.
Four reporters with The ICIR were harassed by state actors in the line of duty that year.
Meanwhile, in 2024, the NPF-NCCC in Abuja invited and detained The ICIR’s executive director, Dayo Aiyetan, and reporter, Nurudeen Akewushola, over an investigation of sleazes in which its former Inspector-Generals were complicit.
The ICIR reported that a reporter Daniel Ojukwu was abducted by officials of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on Wednesday, May 1, two days before World Press Freedom Day.
His abduction only became known on Friday, May 3, after spending four days with the police in Lagos State.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) moved Ojukwu to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja, after spending four days in police custody in Lagos State.
On the orders of the IGP, Ojukwu was transferred by the IRT to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, May 5.
He was later released ten days later.
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