Frederick Olatunde Odimayo, a freelance reporter and editor with Grace FM, a privately-owned broadcaster in Kogi State, was attacked by five men on April 16 over his coverage of drug trafficking in the state

According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Odimayo was beaten until he lost consciousness.

The report, aired on Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) on March 31, involved Odimayo going undercover as a drug buyer.

READ ALSO: 144 Days of Tears for Pelumi Onifade’s Mum as Lagos Govt Holds on to #EndSARS Victim’s Corpse

The five men who approached Odimayo around noon at a car repair shop said he had destroyed their drug trafficking business through his reporting. Odimayo who was hospitalised said he experienced headaches.

While the police said they had started investigations into the attack, Odimayo is undergoing further treatment. He had been hospitalized in Lokoja, the state capital where he regained consciousness.

A report by the Reporters Without Borders stated that Nigeria is one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists. Nigeria ranks 120 in the World Press Freedom Index.