Journalism is not a crime: Ogundipe condemns detention of Stanley Ugagbe

Michael Olumide

A former President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the African Union of Journalists (AUJ), Lanre Ogundipe, has condemned the arrest and continued detention of journalist Stanley Ugagbe, describing the development as a serious threat to press freedom, the rule of law and Nigeria’s democratic values.

In a statement titled “The dignity of the law is diminished when journalists are treated as fugitives,” Ogundipe said the case extends beyond the personal liberty of one journalist and reflects a disturbing pattern in which journalists are increasingly subjected to intimidation and coercive law enforcement tactics for carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.

According to him, democracy is endangered when media practitioners are treated as criminals simply because they publish information that may be uncomfortable to those in positions of authority.

He noted that where a journalist is alleged to have violated any law, Nigeria’s Constitution and existing legal framework clearly prescribe lawful procedures for investigation, invitation and prosecution.

Ogundipe argued that arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, confiscation of working tools and other forms of intimidation undermine public confidence in law enforcement institutions rather than strengthen them.

“The media is neither an appendage of government nor an enemy of the State,” he said, stressing that journalism exists as a constitutional institution established to serve the public interest by informing citizens, holding public officials accountable and promoting transparency.

He warned that attempts to criminalise journalism through arbitrary enforcement actions diminish the dignity of the law and weaken the democratic ideals that Nigerians have struggled for decades to build.

Reflecting on his nearly five decades in journalism, Ogundipe said he remains deeply concerned by what he described as a gradual return to practices reminiscent of periods of repression.

He recalled serving as President of both the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the African Union of Journalists, noting that journalists and pro-democracy advocates made enormous sacrifices to secure the democratic freedoms Nigerians enjoy today.

“We did not endure years of repression in pursuit of democracy only to witness a gradual return to practices that create fear within the media and discourage legitimate public-interest journalism,” he stated.

Ogundipe therefore called on the relevant authorities to immediately release Stanley Ugagbe unless there is a sufficient legal basis to promptly arraign him before a court of competent jurisdiction.

He also urged law enforcement agencies to fundamentally review how they engage with journalists, insisting that respect for due process and constitutional rights remains essential to sustaining democracy.

According to him, the true strength of a democratic society is measured not by how it treats those who praise those in power, but by how it safeguards the rights of citizens—including journalists—whose professional responsibility is to scrutinise authority.

He concluded by warning that any nation that treats journalists as fugitives ultimately diminishes the dignity of its own laws and weakens the foundations upon which its democracy rests.