The publisher of Nigerian Concord News, Abiodun Oluwarotimi, has reportedly been arrested on the orders of a former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, in a development that has stirred reactions across media and political circles.
Oluwarotimi, who described the arrest as unjustified and politically motivated, alleged that his ordeal stemmed from a lingering financial dispute between him and the former governor.
According to him, the conflict arose after he demanded payment of an alleged debt owed to his newspaper since 2019.
The publisher claimed that security operatives from Abuja, reportedly attached to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Department (FID), carried out the arrest following a petition filed by Suswam through his lawyer, Mr. Daodu.
The petition allegedly accused him of threatening the ex-governor’s life, an allegation he firmly denied.
Providing background to their relationship, Oluwarotimi said he had maintained a longstanding association with Suswam since their first meeting in New York in June 2011 when the latter was still governor.
He noted that his newspaper consistently supported Suswam during politically challenging periods, including his alleged persecution after leaving office in 2015 and his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2017 over illegal firearm possession.
He further stated that his platform played a key role in promoting Suswam’s successful senatorial bid in 2019, adding that the former governor had, upon inauguration, promised to support him with a N50 million hotel project, a pledge he claimed was never fulfilled before Suswam left office in 2023.
Oluwarotimi also disclosed that several prominent individuals had intervened in the dispute over the years, urging Suswam to settle the alleged debt.
Among those he named were former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, legal luminary Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), former Nigerian Ambassador Iyorwuese Hagher, Benue State Deputy Governor Sam Ode, and other political associates. Despite these efforts, he alleged that Suswam remained unyielding.
The publisher maintained that his recent criticism of the former governor on social media, drawing attention to the unpaid debt, may have triggered the petition that led to his arrest.
He further suggested that the move was intended to silence him, particularly as Suswam recently secured the APC senatorial ticket for Benue North-East ahead of the next general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, Oluwarotimi said he was being prepared for further questioning by the authorities, even as concerns mount over the implications of the incident for press freedom and the use of state institutions in resolving personal disputes.