NUJ demands immediate release of Journalist Stanley Ugagbe, condemns arrest by unidentified security operatives

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council strongly condemns the reported arrest and continued detention of journalist Stanley Ugagbe, a reporter with SecretReporters, an online news platform, by yet-to-be-identified security operatives.

The union views this development with grave concern, particularly as the circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear and no official explanation has been provided regarding his whereabouts, the allegations against him, or the legal basis for his detention.

The NUJ’s attention was drawn to the unfortunate incident, which reportedly occurred on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at Mr. Ugagbe’s residence in Jikwoyi Phase II, Abuja.

It was gathered that shortly after he returned home from work that evening, four armed men dressed in mufti allegedly arrived at his residence and whisked him away to an unknown destination. One of the men was said to be dressed in a T-shirt and trousers, while another was carrying an assault rifle.

It was further gathered that Mr. Ugagbe’s mobile phone and laptop were confiscated before he was taken away in an unmarked black Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with tinted windows.

The leadership of the union has since reached out to various security agencies to ascertain Mr. Ugagbe’s whereabouts and whether he is in their custody. However, the agencies contacted have denied holding him or having any knowledge of his whereabouts.

We therefore call on the relevant security agencies to immediately disclose the identity of the operatives involved, state the reasons for Mr. Ugagbe’s arrest, grant him immediate access to his family and legal representatives, and either charge him before a court of competent jurisdiction if there is any lawful basis for doing so or release him without further delay.

The NUJ will continue to monitor the situation closely and support all efforts aimed at safeguarding press freedom in Nigeria until Mr. Ugagbe is released.

Signed
Comrade Jide Oyekunle
Secretary NUJ FCT Council