Abuja – The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed that the officials from the National Cybercrime Center arrested Bristol Tamunobiefiri, also known as PIDOMNigeria, for allegedly undermining the integrity of government operations.
Tamunobiefiri operates as an anonymous whistleblower on X.com, 99% Oppressed, and posts as @PIDOMNIGERIA.
The police said PIDOMNigeria was arrested on August 5 in his hotel room in Rivers State.
KOIKI Media had reported that investigative journalist David Hundeyin reported PIDOMNigeria had been missing since August 5 after an associate of PIDOM contacted him.
Hundeyin’s comment generated a massive outcry on social media, with a campaign launched to demand the whereabouts of PIDOMNigeria using hashtags like #PIDOM, #FreePidom, and #WhereisPidom, among others.
On Friday, an intervention team involving Omoyele Sowore, David Hundeyin, Raphael Adebayo, Deji Adeyanju and Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was able to establish that the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) housed Bristol after the National Cybercrime Center (NCCC) tracked and abducted him from a location in Nigeria’s southeast.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the Nigerian Police Force, Isaac told representatives of the team that the police abducted and kept him in solitary confinement for at least six days in an anti-kidnapping unit before transferring him to a different facility.
He was later transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department custody.
Deji Adeyanju, who spoke with Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) in an interview after meeting with Isaac in custody on Friday, narrated how the police broke into his house and abducted him.
“He told us they came like armed robbers. They were dressed in mufti, about 15 policemen. They broke in and dragged him away like a criminal,” Adeyanju was quoted.
“They threw him into a hole somewhere in an anti-kidnapping unit of the police. There, they denied him food, water and access to other human beings. He was in solitary confinement for at least six days, and they kept handcuffs on him throughout.
“He showed us his wrists; they were bruised from wearing handcuffs for that long. They did not allow him access to a lawyer or family members.”
Adeyanju also said he saw Isaac in the same clothes the police abducted him in. The microblogger had worn the same piece of clothing for at least 18 days.
However, in a statement on Saturday by the national police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi, the police said other allegations against PIDOMNigeria are unlawful possession, leakages of classified documents, and cyber-related offences.
“In a well-coordinated effort, officials from the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre apprehended Bristol Isaac Tamunobiefiri, also known as PIDOM, on allegations of committing serious offences that undermine the integrity of government operations. The arrest took place on August 5, 2024, in his hotel room in Rivers State.
“There are several allegations levelled against the suspect, including unlawful possession, leakages of classified documents, cyber-related offences, and others,” Adejobi said.
He said a painstaking investigation would be conducted into the allegations against PIDOM.
“We will do due diligence in carrying out a thorough investigation into the cases.
“The force will leave no stone unturned to continually enforce the law and bequeath to Nigerians a more secure nation,” the police spokesman said.
Nigeria is well known for incarcerating journalists discharging their job – especially those who report about corruption activities, abuse of power, crime against humanity and other investigations.