Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has been released from custody by the Nigeria Police after enduring ten days of detention.
The traumatic ordeal for the journalist came to an end on Friday morning, FIJ announced through their official channels.
Ojukwu's disappearance on May 1st, during which his phones were switched off and his whereabouts remained unknown to colleagues, family, and friends, sparked widespread concern. It was later revealed by FIJ that he had been 'abducted' by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police.
Reports from FIJ indicated that Ojukwu was initially held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti, Lagos, before being transferred to the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he remained detained until his release on Friday morning.
Ojukwu's freedom came after intense pressure from civil society organisations and advocacy groups championing the free press, including Safer-Media Initiative (SMI).