Sunday Ogwu has formally presented his account to the FCT Police Command as pressure grows for investigators to establish what happened during the controversial August 19 Lugbe operation.
ABUJA — The investigation into the alleged assault of Sunday Michael Ogwu, Editor of Pinnacle Daily, has entered a new phase after the journalist reportedly appeared before the Federal Capital Territory Police Command and formally submitted his account of the August 19 incident in Lugbe.
Ogwu appeared at the Command Headquarters on Monday, August 24, accompanied by legal counsel from DigiCivic Initiative, according to information made available to IDNN.
DigiCivic said Ogwu submitted a written statement while the police also presented its account of the incident, after which the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, directed that the matter be properly investigated and reported back.
The development pushes a case that has triggered growing concern within Nigeria’s media and civil society community beyond public accusations and into a formal accountability process.
What Happened in Lugbe
Ogwu alleged that he was assaulted on August 19 after encountering a joint operation involving police officers attached to the Lugbe Police Division and personnel of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria around the Federal Housing Estate in Lugbe.
Multiple reports say the operation involved a demolition exercise, which Ogwu began documenting with his mobile phone.He alleged that officers seized the device, physically assaulted him — including striking him with an electric cable — and damaged the phone. The allegations have not yet been established by an investigation.
The incident quickly drew condemnation from the Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), which called for the officers involved to be identified and investigated, alongside compensation for the damaged equipment and medical expenses if wrongdoing is established.
Police Had Already Ordered Probe
The FCT Police Command acknowledged the allegation on August 21 and said CP Sanusi had ordered a thorough investigation to establish what happened.The Command also said any personnel found culpable would face disciplinary action.But its statement introduced another dispute.
Police alleged that several invitations had been extended to Ogwu to submit a statement and evidence, claiming he had failed to honour them while continuing to circulate videos of the incident.
Ogwu subsequently disputed that account, saying he had not received a formal invitation before the police statement and that he had himself sought to establish when he should report to the Command.
His reported appearance on August 24 therefore removes one potential distraction from the central question:
What happened in Lugbe — and who, if anyone, should be held responsible?
Pressure for Independent Investigation
The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has also entered the dispute, calling for an independent and impartial investigation outside the command structure implicated in the allegations.
The organisation wants investigators to establish which officers and units were deployed, examine operational records and available video evidence, identify personnel involved and determine whether unlawful force was used.
It has also called for accountability, an apology and compensation if the allegations are substantiated.DigiCivic similarly urged investigators to identify all personnel involved, examine available video and other evidence, interview witnesses and establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault and damage to Ogwu’s equipment.
The organisation stressed that accountability should follow wherever wrongdoing is established, while cautioning against prejudging individuals before the investigation is completed.
The Test Is Now Accountability
The case has moved beyond competing statements.
With the journalist now reported to have submitted his formal account and the police leadership having ordered an investigation, attention turns to the quality, independence and outcome of that investigation.
For Nigeria’s media community, the wider issue reaches beyond Ogwu.Journalists routinely record police operations, protests, demolitions and other events involving public authorities.
Whether they can perform that role without intimidation, confiscation of equipment or physical violence remains a fundamental test of both press freedom and police accountability.
The FCT Police Command has publicly pledged professionalism, accountability, respect for citizens’ rights and adherence to the rule of law.
The Lugbe investigation may now provide a very public test of that pledge.
Zipporah Peters
IDNN
International Digital News Network
