Despite meeting bail conditions, police refuse to release 72-year-old Benue Journalists, Pa Tom Uhia

The Nigeria Police Force has failed to release journalist and Publisher of Power Steering Magazine, Tom Uhia.

Recall that Uhia was arrested and detained for a month on the orders of the country’s Minister of State for Power, Jedy Agba.

After a month in illegal detention, the police finally succumbed to pressure and arraigned the journalist on Monday with the presiding judge ordering that he be released on bail.

He was granted bail in the sum of N2m and asked to provide a level 15 officer with the federal civil or public service as surety.

However, despite meeting the bail conditions, the police refused to release the journalist, ensuring that he spent another night in detention.

Despite being present at the court and represented by their lawyer, the police claimed they were yet to be served with the warrant to release the journalist on bail.

As at the time of filing this report, Uhia was still in the custody of the police.

Agba ordered the arrest of the journalist in October over claims that he published a report injurious to his reputation in the July 2020 edition of Power Steering Magazine.

Rights groups and the Nigerian Union of Journalists have condemned the wanton arrest of media personnel by security operatives on the orders of politicians and influential Nigerians.