(MRA/IFEX) – On 30 June 2005, Haruna Acheneje, a correspondent for “The Punch” newspaper in Akwa Ibom State, Niger Delta region, was arrested by agents of Nigeria’s intelligence service, the State Security Service (SSS), in Uyo, the state capital. Acheneje was arrested by three SSS agents who arrived at the newspaper’s premises at about noon […]
(MRA/IFEX) – On 30 June 2005, Haruna Acheneje, a correspondent for “The Punch” newspaper in Akwa Ibom State, Niger Delta region, was arrested by agents of Nigeria’s intelligence service, the State Security Service (SSS), in Uyo, the state capital.
Acheneje was arrested by three SSS agents who arrived at the newspaper’s premises at about noon (local time), and was taken to the SSS office in Uyo. The officials who arrested him only told him that the SSS state director wanted to see him.
At the time of his arrest, MRA expressed concern for Acheneje as no one was allowed access to him and no reason was given for his arrest and detention.
According to MRA, Acheneje resurfaced on 4 July. He said he had been detained for about eight hours in solitary confinement, interrogated and subsequently released. He was reportedly questioned in connection with a story entitled, “Lawmakers got $1.2m to remove me – Ex Deputy Governor”, which appeared in “The Punch” a few days earlier. However, Acheneje said he did not write the story in question.
