Premium Times Editor, Mr. Isine
The State Security Service, SSS, on Tuesday, October 6, arrested a PREMIUM TIMES editor, Ibanga Isine, while carrying out his duties.
Mr. Isine, the newspaper’s regional editor, was reporting from a federal High Court in Abuja, where he had gone for cases billed for the day when he was arrested.
One of the cases the editor was supposed to cover was that of Charles Okah, a brother to Henry Okah, the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation Niger Delta, MEND is facing terrorism charges. Charles Okah is being charged as the mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja.
Okah, who addressed the judge briefly, attempted to jump to his death from the third floor of the five-storey building, but was pulled back by security operatives.
Shortly after, the SSS arrested Mr. Isine, and seized his phones and other electronic devices, ensuring he was not in touch with his office or colleagues throughout Tuesday.
Mr. Isine was held at the SSS headquarters for several hours before being transferred to the service’s office at Asokoro in Abuja.
It was learnt that the agents did not provide any reason for detaining him. He managed to make contact with the office late Tuesday night, and was subsequently released.