Sahara Reporters Publisher: Don’t use social media to blackmail, defame-Owoseni

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, yesterday used website owners, bloggers and other social media users to refrain from using the medium as avenue to blackmail, extort or defame others.

Owoseni said this yesterday at the police command headquasrters, Ikeja, while reacting to the alleged arrest of Mr, Omoyele Sowore - Publisher of Sahara Reporters, on Wednesday by policemen.

His words: “We expect that whatever he posts on social media is responsible. Nobody should use social media to blackmail anyone. Being a media practitioner or journalist, doesn’t stop anyone from being called to justice.”

Owoseni also kicked against Sowore, making a false call to the police, claiming he was being attacked by armed robbers, knowing that was completely false. He said that when police got to the scene, they discovered that there was no robbery, only a brawl between Sowore and Mr. Lekan Fatodu.

Owoseni said that he has read so of the interviews Sowore granted some media houses and could categorically state that the story he had been narrating was false and doesn’t reflect the fact of the case.

Giving the fact of the case, Owoseni said: “What he had been saying is far from the truth. There should be responsible reportage. Sowore made a distress call to the police. He said he was being attacked at Isaac John Street, Ikeja, by armed robbers. Our men raced to the area and discovered the call was false. Sowore should have known better. There was no robbery. It was just a case of a brawl between Sowore and Fatodu.

“Policemen, who went there, brought them to my office. Preliminary investigation showed that Fatodu had earlier lodged a complaint against Sowore of blackmail and extortion, which had been reported at SCID. They were referred to SCID. It was upon their statements being recorded, that they were allowed to go. Nobody was detained.

“They were both asked to report back today (Thursday). It’s the work of policemen to investigate criminal complaints. The police will be fair and professionalism will be exhibited in handling this matter. We’ll ensure justice is done.”

A police press release, signed by police image maker, Dolapo Badmos, stated virtual the same point.

It stated: “Today, 11/1/2017 at about  15:39hrs, a distress call was received by the Lagos State Police Command that Mr Omoyele Sowore - Publisher of Sahara Reporters was being attacked by suspected hoodlums around Isaac John street, GRA ikeja. The police swiftly responded, and upon arrival at the scene contrary to the report that a robbery attack was taking place, the police met the duo of Mr Omoyele Sowore and Mr Lekan Fatodu engaged in a brawl/altercation. With a view to ascertaining what led to the false alarm of a robbery, both parties were taken before the Commissioner of Police.

“In the course of police intervention, it was found out that the brawl is in connection with an earlier complaint of alleged threat to life, defamation of character and blackmail made by Lekan against Omoyele. Both parties were subsequently referred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti where the case has been under investigation.”