Amnesty International, a human rights group has called on the Nigeria Police Force for the immediate release of broadcast journalist, Rotimi Jolayemi, who has spent three weeks in custody for criticising the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
Jolayemi, who anchors a Yoruba radio programme, ‘Bi aye se ri’ on Osun State Broadcasting Service and Radio Kwara, was arrested on May 5, 2020 by the police for reciting a poem which criticised the minister.
It was reported earlier that Jolayemi’s wife, Dorcas, and his two brothers were arrested and they spent over a week in police custody when they could not produce him. They were only released when the journalist turned himself in.
Jolayemi, who is the Vice-Chairman, Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, was subsequently brought to Abuja where he has remained since May 7.
Reacting to the arrests, in a tweet, Amnesty International said that the arrest of the journalist and his wife was unlawful.
“Jolayemi, a journalist was unlawfully arrested on May 6, 2020, over a poem considered critical of the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed. His wife too was unlawfully detained for eight days in squalid condition. We are calling on authorities to immediately release him,” the tweet read in part.
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