AGS NEWS – Officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) have yet to return the camera, phones, and other belongings of Kayode Jaiyeola, a PUNCH photojournalist they detained on Thursday.

Jaiyeola was covering a hunger protest at Eagles Square when ONSA officials abducted him, despite his showing his office ID.

They drove him to the FCT police command and ordered his detention, refusing his requests to contact his office or family.

Jaiyeola managed to call a colleague after the FCT Nigerian Union of Journalists chairman, Jide Oyekunle, visited the command and retrieved his phone from the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh. This call led to his release.

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However, efforts to recover his belongings have been unsuccessful. Jaiyeola said the police tried to help but made no progress.

At the NSA’s office, he was asked for the names of the arresting officers, but since they were not in uniform, he couldn’t identify them. He was eventually asked to leave without his items.

Attempts to contact ONSA spokesperson Zakari Mijinyawa for comment have been unsuccessful. FCT command police spokesperson Josephine Adeh confirmed Jaiyeola’s release and stated they were trying to help him retrieve his belongings.