THE NIGERIAN National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has vehemently condemned the arrest and detention of a nursing mother and her nine-month-old baby by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, describing the act as a “brazen violation” of the law and a severe breach of fundamental rights.
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, and jointly signed by IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed, and Legal Adviser, Tobi Soniyi, the press freedom organisation detailed the events of Monday, December 22, when operatives, reportedly attached to the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, arrested Mrs. Adenike Atanda and her infant child at their residence in the Owutu area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
According to IPI Nigeria, the arrest was executed as a proxy, with the officers seeking Mrs. Atanda’s husband, Mr. Sodeeq Atanda, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was not at home at the time.
IPI Nigeria emphasised that neither Mrs. Atanda nor her child is a journalist, a suspect, or accused of any offence.
“This arrest constitutes a clear and unlawful arrest by proxy,” the statement read, citing violations of Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and Section 36 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which explicitly prohibit arresting any person in place of a suspect.
The condemnation escalated with allegations of psychological coercion by the arresting officers. IPI Nigeria stated that Mrs. Atanda was pressured to falsely inform her husband that their baby was critically ill, in an attempt to lure him out.
“Officers coerced her… effectively using a nursing mother and her baby as bait,” the institute stated, noting that the infant was subjected to “needless trauma and distress.”
IPI Nigeria highlighted the profound irony of the incident, noting that the IGP Monitoring Unit was the very body recently mandated by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to engage with the institute to address the harassment of journalists nationwide.
The directive followed IPI Nigeria’s listing of the IGP in its “Book of Infamy” for press freedom violations just weeks prior.
“In protest against this gross abuse of power, IPI Nigeria has suspended all engagements with the Nigeria Police Force until there is clear evidence of accountability, respect for the rule of law, and an end to hostility towards journalists,” IPI Nigeria declared.
The statement confirmed that Mrs. Atanda and her child were released only after Mr. Atanda presented himself to the Owutu Police Station, where he was subsequently arrested, handcuffed, and detained. He was later released following intervention by IPI Nigeria.
Consequently, IPI Nigeria has presented a four-point demand to the Nigeria Police Force, which include a public apology to Mrs. Adenike Atanda and her nine-month-old baby; adequate compensation for the unlawful arrest, detention, and inflicted trauma; the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of all officers involved in the illegal action; and, the dismissal from service of those officers as a deterrent.
The institute further called for Mr. Atanda to be allowed to perform his journalistic duties without intimidation and urged the police to refrain from intervening in civil disputes that should be handled by the courts.
Linking the incident to a pervasive “culture of impunity” within the force, IPI Nigeria said: “The persistent abuse of power by police officers thrives largely because acts of misconduct are rarely punished.”
It warned that such actions continue to erode public trust and called on the IGP to “act decisively by purging the Force of officers unfit to serve” and to demonstrate a “genuine commitment to reform, accountability, and respect for press freedom.”
As of press time, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the allegations or demands.
