The Department of State Service ( DSS ) has released Tony Ezimako,Bureau Chief of Daily Independent newspaper.
He spent seven days in the custody of the nation’s secret police over a publication carried by his newspaper.
Sahara Reporters said Ezimakor was released to Douglas Ekhator, his lawyer, at about 10:30pm on Tuesday.
The service had Wednesday last week invited the journalist, an invitation he voluntarily honored.
He was accompanied by Jide Oyekunle, the newspaper’s Photojournalist. They were held up till 3: 00 pm when Oyekunle was allowed to go but Ezimakor was detained.
He was left incommunicado as he was denied access to food, his wife, and lawyer till 10: 00 pm the same day.
Ezimakor had written a story on February 22nd 2018 relating to the ransom paid for the release of the abducted chibok girls and the roles played by a Swiss negotiator as well as his Nigerian collaborators.
The secret police was miffed at the story and wondered how the journalist had access to such classified information which they claimed embarrassed the Swiss Government.
Public outrage have trailed his arrest and detention of Ezimakor with many human rights organisations and individuals coming out to condemn the action saying it is an afront on press freedom.
Interestingly, Ezimakor was released unconditionally today a few hours after an activist group #OurMumuDonDo threatened to storm the headquarters of the DSS to protest the unlawful detention of Eziakor.