News Report: Nigeria's State Security Service Releases News Blogger To Hush Investigations

Ikenna Ezenekwe In Handcuff

The release of Mr. Ikenna Ezenekwe, Publisher of Ukpakareports.com after nearly one week in detention on allegation of blackmail by Nigeria's State Security Service(SSS) was done to hush investigations of  "deals" prevalent in the Nigerian Media, chidi opara reports have learnt authoritatively. Mr. Ezenekwe was arrested on Sunday 13th March, 2011 at the residence of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, a member of Nigeria's House Of  Representatives from Anambra state when he allegedly went to collect the sum of six million naira to help pull down an embarrassing story about the female Parliamentarian published on Pointblanknews.com and Huhuonline.com. Mr. Ezenekwe have however denied blackmailing the female politician. In a post on his facebook page, he revealed that he was arrested in an hotel where he went to meet an appointment with Mrs. Ekwunife and not in her residence as reported.

Authoritative SSS inside information available to us indicated that Mrs. Uche Ekwunife was prevailed upon by the SSS to withdraw her complaint against Ikenna Ezenekwu which led to his arrest and detention, when it became clear that the security agency cannot continue to keep the news blogger in detention without charging him to court. According to an SSS insider, "heads would have rolled in the Media if the man were arraigned in court". SSS preliminary investigation on the matter, according to our SSS contacts revealed "lots of deals" in the Nigerian Media, especially in the online segment.

chidi opara reports learnt that on the part of the accused news blogger, he was prevailed upon to enter into an undertaking, not to sue the agency for unlawful arrest and detention and not to make elaborate public statements regarding his arrest and detention. Ezenekwe's release we learnt was brokered by one Uche Ezechukwu who claims to be an Abuja based Media Consultant. Ezechukwu also claims to be the Publisher of a non existing Zumerockreports.com.

Requests for comments sent to Mrs. Uche Ekwunife and Mr. Ikenna Ezenekwe have not been replied at the time of preparing this report. Mr. Uche Ezechukwu in what looked like a response however lamented the degenerate state of Nigerian Journalism.