The Publisher of an online news medium, Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore, has been arrested by the police. His arrest was said to be at the instance of a complaint by one Lekan Fatodu, who accused him of defamation of character. Fatodu is the publisher of Check it Out Magazine but he was sometime ago a writer with Saharareporters.

In a tweet, Fatodu said: “I just got Sowore Omoyele of Saharareporters arrested for criminal defamation, blackmail and threat to my life and career.”

Reacting, however, Sowore said, “I was attacked in Lagos by some boys of a former minister. We are on our way to Panti Police Station.”

The spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest.

Badmos said Sowore was arrested on Wednesday over an alleged threat to life and blackmail on a London-based journalist, one Lekan Fatodu. Badmos said Sowore was picked up in his home by policemen attached to Area ‘F’ command, Ikeja.

She added that the arrest followed a petition by Fatodu, alleging that Sowore published a story on alleged money laundering against him.

She said the publication alleged that Fatodu was assisting politicians to move money out of the country.

“The publisher was arrested this evening over threat to life and blackmail. Investigation is still going on”, she said