The International Press Centre, IPC, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists, SPJ, Hub, on Tuesday condemned the arrest and detention of Mrs Adenike Atanda, wife of investigative journalist, Sodeeq Atanda, of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ.
According to the IPC, Mrs Atanda and her nine-month-old baby were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in the Owutu area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Monday, December 22, 2025.
The police reportedly tracked them to their neighbourhood and detained them at a police station for more than five hours.
Information made available to the IPC-SPJ Hub, according to the statement, alleged that the journalist’s wife and infant were used as bait to arrest her husband, Sodeeq Atanda.
IPC further claimed that Mrs Atanda was coerced into calling her husband to falsely inform him that their child was ill and hospitalised.
Reacting to the incident, via a statement, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, described the development as disturbing and unacceptable.
He likened it to practices during the military era, citing instances where journalists’ family members were arrested in attempts to silence the media.
“This is a stark reminder of the darker period of military rule when security agents arrested the wife and infant child of journalists to force compliance. Such actions have no place in a democratic society,” Arogundade said.
The SPJ Hub stressed that the primary responsibility of the police is the protection of lives and property, adding that the incident raises concerns about the commitment of law enforcement agencies to that mandate.
The IPC said the repeated actions by the police pose a serious threat to the safety of the journalist and reflect an ongoing attempt to intimidate members of the press, including targeting their family members.
IPC condemns arrest of journalist’s wife, alleges police intimidation
