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Police detains Punch Reporter in Anambra

by Our Reporter
Anambra police command on Monday arrested a reporter with Punch
newspapers, Mr Tony Okafor over a petition by a former lecturer with
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.The former lecturer, Dr Peter Ekemezie had in a report published by
Punch newspaper been revealed to have forged some credentials to attain
a PhD in the university.

Reacting to the publication, the management of the institution after its
investigation sacked the lecturer.

Conveying his dismissal, the registrar of the institution, Barr
Philomena Okoye in a letter ordered the indicted lecturer in June to
immediately hand over all the institution’s property and must not return
to the institution except with the express permission of the Vice
Chancellor.

The Punch reporter in Anambra, Mr Tony Okafor however disclosed that he
was on Monday, around 12pm arrested by policemen, on the order of the
sacked lecturer.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Haruna
Mohammed however denied that Okafor was arrested.

He said the reporter was only invited by the police after the indicted
former lecturer, Ekemezie wrote a petition against him to the police
commissioner in the state.

He said, “There was a formal petition to the  Commissioner of Police
against one Mr.Tony Okafor and Seven other persons.

“The Police invited Mr Tony Okafor for interview to ascertain the
veracity of the complaint against him.

“Tony Okafor was never detained by the Police that’s why he is still
using his handset to communicate.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed that I should findout out the
circumstances surrounding the incident from the OC incharge of the case
and feed him back immediately.

“I have contacted the OC and he stated that the officer handling the
case will come and give Mr Tony Okafor the petition to go through to
enable him respond.

“I have equally contacted Mr Tony and assure him that he will be granted
bail as soon as the IPO comes back and investigation will continue. I
will keep you posted on any further development please.”

As at the time of filing this report, the reporter was still being
interrogated at the state police area command.

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