Femi Falana, SAN, Human rights activist, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Agba Jalingo, Editor of Cross-River Watch.

Wakadaily gathered that Jalingo was whisked away after the Police subjected his wife and children to unwarranted harassment for hours at his residence in Ketu Lagos, on Friday, August 19, 2022.

In a statement on Saturday titled ‘Release Agba Jalingo now!’.

“Yesterday, a team of the police personnel despatched from Abuja stormed the home of Agba Jalingo at Alapere, Ketu in Lagos State to arrest him. After subjecting his wife and children to unwarranted harassment for hours, the police arrested Agba, yanked him out and took him to the Area F Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos State where he was detained until this morning, the statement read partly.

“I met him at the police station where he informed me that he committed no offence but that his newspaper, CrossRiverWatch had only asked why a lecturer who wrote examinations for a student in the Nigerian Law School, Abuja has been arraigned in court while the student is being treated like a sacred cow.

“The police officers corroborated his account and stated that the petitioner had alleged that Agba Jalingo had committed “defamation and infringement of his integrity”, which is not an offence under any provision of the Criminal Code.

“Based on the information at my disposal, I was compelled to demand for his unconditional release since he has contravened any provision of the Criminal Code.

“But the police officers informed me that his detention was ordered by the Authorities in Abuja. Thus, at about 11 am this morning he was flown out of Lagos and he is currently being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department, Garki, Abuja.

Falana, Therefore, calls for police Authorities to release Agba Jalingo unconditionally and advise the petitioner to sue for libel in a civil court.”