The Guardian’s reporter Emeka Nwachukwu in police custody after attack by political thugs

Mr. Emeka Nwachukwu, a reporter with The Guardian has just been arrested by the police and is being held in what is believed to be ‘protective custody” at the Ajeromi Police station, Lagos, after political thugs attacked him for allegedly spying on their meeting.

Mr Nwachukwu, who was assigned to cover today’s by-election for the Ifelodu-Ajeromi Local Council, however, succeeded in reaching the News Editor through the mobile phone of one of the police officers.

He was said to have been arrested and taken into protective custody by one Omimi Usang, a police corporal.

His ‘arrest’ followed an attack on him by loyalists of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who accused him of being a “PDP journalist”.

Nwachukwu said the thugs accused him of spying on them as they gathered at a location.

The reporter was arrested 11.30am and was still in custody at 1pm when this report was filed.

He said the officers who arrested him had promised to keep him until the District Police Officer (DPO) arrived for duty.