The Ekiti State Police Command has detained Sodiq Atanda, a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), after he honoured an invitation to the command headquarters in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.
Atanda’s arrest was reportedly ordered by the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, following a petition filed by Prof. Abayomi Fasina, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), who is currently on leave.
It was gathered that the police had earlier invited the journalist on September 1, 2025, over Fasina’s allegations of cyberbullying, blackmail, and criminal defamation.
The petition, filed by Fasina’s lawyers, T.S. Adegboyega & Co., accused Atanda and FIJ of conspiracy, malicious misrepresentation, and cyberbullying.
According to police correspondence seen by reporters, the petition was approved for investigation, and Atanda was requested to appear before the Commissioner of Police through the State Intelligence Department.
This development comes against the backdrop of lingering controversies surrounding Prof. Fasina. Earlier this year, leaked audio recordings surfaced in which the VC was allegedly heard making sexual advances toward Engineer Folasade Adebayo, a married deputy director at FUOYE.
Fasina has consistently denied the allegations but has been accused by critics and staff unions of harassment, intimidation, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), FUOYE branch, had also petitioned the Minister of Education, raising concerns about sexual harassment, victimisation, and governance irregularities at the institution.
Neither the Ekiti State Police Command nor FIJ has released an official statement regarding Atanda’s detention as of press time.
