The Agence France-Presse (AFP) has confirmed that the Nigerian Police forcibly detained its video journalist, John Okunyomih.
In a statement on its website on Tuesday, AFP noted that "in Nigeria on Monday AFP video journalist, John Okunyomih, was briefly detained outside the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, where he was covering anticipated protests."
"On October 20, 2025, the police in Nigeria briefly detained AFP video journalist John Okunyomih outside the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the capital Abuja."
According to statement, "M. Okunyomih was with other journalists monitoring expected protests when police fired teargas toward them."
The statement further read that "others ran away, before police swooped in and detained M. Okunyomih, pulling his camera as they forced him into their vehicle. In the process M. Okunyomih's camera was slightly damaged."
The journalist was later taken to the police headquarters. "M. Okunyomih was taken to police HQ where he was released about an hour later without charge."
Police Release AFP Journalist Arrested During #FreeNnamdiKanuNow Protest In Abuja After Office Intervention
The Nigerian police authorities have released a second journalist with Agence France-Presse (AFP), John Okunyomih, who was detained while covering the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
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