Police Storm Premium Times, Arrest Publisher

• Police Storm Premium Times, Arrest Publisher

Policemen have stormed the head office of Premium Times in Abuja, arresting the publisher, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, and a female journalist, Evelyn Okakwu.

The arrest is believed to be in connection with a feud between the online newspaper and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Tukur Buratai.

Premium Times had written reports on the planned invitation of Buratai by the Code of Conduct Bureau for asset verification, the disappearance of a high number of soldiers after a Boko Haram attack and an investigation detailing how soldiers allegedly killed a kidnapped pastor and labelled him a kidnapper.

The Nigerian Army had last week threatened to take action against the newspaper if it failed to retract the stories. However, Premium Times responded with a scathing editorial against the army authorities, a move which irked the military.