Policemen attached to the headquaters of the Kwara State Police Command have released Pelumi Salako, a journalist they arrested on Wednesday afternoon.

FIJ earlier reported how the policemen stopped Salako in the Oke-Odo area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, and demanded for the receipt of his laptop.

They arrested the journalist and accused him of being a suspect in a fictitious criminal investigation.

FIJ called Salako moments after his arrest and he confirmed his arrest to this newspaper. Salako said the police were refusing to give him any more information on his arrest.

READ MORE: BREAKING: Kwara Police Arrest Journalist for ‘Possessing Laptop’

FIJ then called Ajayi Okasanmi, Kwara Police Public Relations Officer, and he assured us he would probe the matter. He also asked for Salako’s phone number.

Salako subsequently called FIJ to say he had regained his freedom. He said Okasanmi arrived at the headquarters and demanded to see him. The police spokesman then ordered his immediate release.

“Thank you very much. I am now out of the station,” Salako told FIJ. “The PPRO called my number, and we spoke on the phone. Then he showed up at the station and asked me to identify the policemen who arrested me. He took them aside to warn them.”

FIJ called Okasanmi to find out if he would take action against the officers but, at press time, he had not responded.

Ojukwu is a reporter with FIJ in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.