Kidnapped SecretsReporters Journalist Stanley Ugagbe Found at Police Headquarters After 48 Hours Blindfolded Over Government Secrets Leak and Petition by CBN Deputy Governor Emem Usoro

Secrets Reporters

‎Fresh details have emerged regarding the whereabouts of abducted SecretsReporters journalist, Stanley Ugagbe, who was allegedly seized by armed men in mufti on his way home before being taken to his residence, where his laptop and mobile phone were confiscated.
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‎SecretsReporters has obtained videos showing masked security operatives handcuffing and taking Ugagbe away. According to information available to this newspaper, he was intercepted by armed men in Karu, Abuja, while returning home from official training on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m.

Policemen in masks abducting Journalist Stanley Ugagbe

‎The operatives handcuffed him, took him to his residence in Jikwoyi, seized his work laptop and phone, blindfolded him and drove him to an undisclosed location.
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‎As earlier reported by this newspaper, Ugagbe’s arrest is believed to be connected to a report published by SecretsReporters titled: “EXCLUSIVE: CBN Deputy Governor Emem Usoro Linked to N3.6bn Los Angeles Property Amid Questions Over Asset Declaration Compliance (Part 2).”
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‎Sources said Ugagbe remained blindfolded throughout the night at the first location until Thursday, July 2. He was then driven to another facility, still blindfolded, before the blindfold was removed. SecretsReporters has since established that the facility was the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC).
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‎Sources within the NCCC told SecretsReporters that one of the petitions against the journalist was submitted by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Emem Usoro, who reportedly alleged that he published false information about her.
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‎According to the same sources, a second petition, allegedly submitted anonymously, accused the journalist platform of leaking sensitive government information and official secrets considered detrimental by the authorities.
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‎During questioning, Ugagbe reportedly maintained that, as a reporter, he was assigned stories by the management of SecretsReporters and was not the custodian of the source materials used in preparing some investigative reports, as all investigations belongs to the organization.
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‎The sources further stated that he noted that laptops, communication devices and other equipment used by him and other reporters in carrying out their official assignments are company property belonging to SecretsReporters.
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‎Meanwhile, an examination of Ugagbe’s mobile phone call records obtained by SecretsReporters showed that his phone was switched on by security operatives at about 4:00 a.m. on July 2. During that period, four calls were received but went unanswered before the device was switched off again.

The Police is yet to officially own up to kidnapping the journalist.