Calabar, October 24, 2024 – The Nigeria Police in Cross River State have invited Frank Ulom, Editor-in-Chief of Converseer, an online newspaper in the Southern part of the country.
The invitation came after Insp. Mentus of the Anti-Vice Unit of the Zone 6 Police Command in Calabar, claimed the Editor-in-Chief’s phone number was allegedly being used to commit fraudulent activities.
According to Insp. Mentus, someone had used Ulom’s phone number to defraud unsuspecting victims. The said police officer further claimed that when the fraudster made calls, the Editor’s details were displayed instead of the actual perpetrator’s.
Mentus told the Editor-in-Chief in a telephone on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, that: “We received a complaint with your phone number, and upon investigation with network providers, we found that someone cloned your line and is using it for fraud. What happens is, when they call the victim, your details show up,” adding that the police discovered the Editor had allegedly been in communication with the fraudster.
Despite mentioning that they did not believe Ulom was directly involved, Inspector Mentus continued to insist that the line was being used for fraud, subtly pressuring the publisher to cooperate.
“There’s a code linked to your line, and it’s being used to defraud people,” Inspector Mentus said, while also admitting, “I don’t think you can do that.”
While the police have indicated that they are working with network providers to address the issue of alleged cloning, the circumstances surrounding the invitation and its handling have raised concerns for the Editor-in-Chief. They are left questioning whether this is a sincere investigation or an effort to undermine press freedom.
This incident has ignited worries among journalists and civil society organisations about the increasing use of law enforcement tactics that seem to intimidate members of the press, especially those dedicated to accountability journalism.
The Editor-in-Chief of Converseer has expressed a commitment to cooperate with the authorities but also feels a deep concern regarding the motivations behind the police’s actions, particularly in light of the troubling trend of using accusations to target media personnel.
Converseer reports that the Editor-in-Chief has stated that all correspondence should be directed to his lawyer, Barr. James Ibor, Principal Counsel of Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI).