Nigerian investigative journalist and publisher of the Foundation for Investigating Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has been summoned by the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector-General of Police over an investigative report published in his medium.
Soyombo disclosed this via his social media handles on Monday.
“I have just arrived at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to honour an invitation from the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector General of Police”.
“They say my “name and phone number featured in an investigation” they are conducting,” he said.
The journalist said he decided to oblige the invitation because “I am a law-abiding citizen who has committed no crime unless journalism is one”.
H added that, “If there is no update on this handle by dusk, it means I have been unjustly detained. I will be surrendering my devices now. Any other update until my release will be provided by”.
While the reason for his summon remains unclear, THE WHISTLER gathered that it may not be far fetched from a report published by the FIJ four months ago which accused the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Joseph Egbunike, of corruption.The report exposed alleged fraud perpetrated under Egbunike while he chaired the Budget and Finance department of the Nigerian Police Force around November 2018.
It showed how two police transit camps which were supposed to be constructed at the Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue and Falgore Forest of Kano were never executed.
Documents obtained by the medium showed that the projects were pegged at N175m each and were to accommodate a police station and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) unit. The buildings were also to be furnished and electrified.
Under Egbunike’s watch also, over N735m was reportedly earmarked in 2016 to build transit camps in Katsina, Bauchi and Plateau States, but the Police allegedly did not complete the project despite the release of funds.
Both contracts in 2016 and 2018 were awarded to the Kakaras Nigeria Limited.
(The WHISTLER)
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