Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for the release of whistleblower Bristol Tamunobiefiri also known as PIDOM.
Following concerns about his whereabouts, the police confirmed last Saturday that PIDOM was arrested on August 5, 2024, in his hotel room in Rivers State.
Force PRO Olumuyiwa Adejobi said several allegations levelled against the suspect included unlawful possession, leakages of classified documents and cyber-related offences.
In a statement shared on X on Tuesday, Obi expressed concern over the treatment of journalists in Nigeria.
He warned that the country risks descending into a “Banana Republic” where journalists face severe repercussions for their work.
“Investigative journalists, who play a crucial role in uncovering truth, are protected by the laws that guard and protect freedom of expression in a democracy. It is therefore deeply disturbing and unacceptable that Nigerian investigative journalists have of late been subjected to harassment, abduction, detention, and other draconian measures by agents of the government. The disappearance and detention of @PIDOMNIGERIA, a journalist, is a grave concern,” Obi said.
“This is not the Nigeria we want or deserve. We demand justice, accountability, and an end to these egregious attacks on press freedom,” he added.
