The disputed and unconfirmed report claimed that Jonathan had issued orders to frustrate efforts by the opposition to unite ahead of presidential polls in 2015. Police confirmed the arrests but declined to discuss the circumstances.
“We demand the unconditional and immediate release of our journalists,” said the managing director of the Leadership Group, Azubuike Ishiekwene, in a statement.
He identified those detained as Chinyere Fred-Adebulugbe, Chuks Ohuegbe, Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzor Ukaibe.
According to the statement, the four were summoned to police headquarters in the capital on Monday and told they would be held until they identified “the source of the story,” which they refused to do.
“We stand by our story and will neither be cowed nor intimidated by the strong-arm tactics of President Jonathan,” the statement said.
National police spokesman Frank Mba confirmed the journalists “are being detained in connection with the on-going investigation.”
“Leadership must have told you why they are being held,” he said when asked for further details.
Media rights groups including the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists have previously criticised Nigeria for alleged crackdowns on press freedoms.
In February, two journalists from the Wazobia radio station in the northern city of Kano were charged with inciting disorder after they repeated a conspiracy theory that polio vaccines were part of a Western plot to harm Muslims.
The latest arrest has been condemned by the Nigerian Young Journalists Forum.
The group in a statement signed by its President Ayodele Samuel and Secretary, Zacheus Somorin in Lagos yesterday said that the illegal detention of four staff of the newspaper over a news report on the presidency is a clear threat to freedom of press in Nigeria.
The group said the police working under instructions from the presidency shows that the country is sliding with the speed of light into dictatorship where freedom of the press would not be guaranteed.
“Just this weekend a governor informed the public that the country is on its way to a democratic dictatorship era, with this development, we are bold to say the dictatorship era is here, its an indication of dangers ahead for media organization in the build up to next election” the statement added.
As a forum, we demanded the unconditional and immediate release of the journalists. “If the government has anything against the media outfit, the court rooms remain open for justice”
GUYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?