ABUJA, Nigeria – Stanley Ugagbe, an investigative journalist with the online news platform Secrets Reporters , has been forcibly abducted from his residence in the Jikwoyi area of Abuja, sparking widespread condemnation from press freedom organisations.

Witnesses reported that Ugagbe was seized on July 1 by armed men who arrived in an unmarked, tinted Mitsubishi Pajero SUV, with neighbours observing the journalist enter his apartment, followed shortly by the men.

The men were carrying what was described as an Israeli-made Tavor assault rifle, and they confiscated Ugagbe's official laptop and mobile phones before forcing him into the vehicle.

As he was taken away, Ugagbe was heard shouting, "Call my office."

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Secrets Reporters, Fejiro Oliver, alleges that the abduction is linked to a recent investigation published by the outlet regarding Emem Nnanna Etuk Usoro, the Deputy Governor for Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The report detailed allegations of adultery and financial impropriety, citing court filings and claiming that Usoro owned two properties in the United States valued at over N4 billion.

Oliver stated that Ugagbe was the lead reporter on the story and had received threats from an individual identifying himself as "Ibrahim" to refrain from publishing the report.

He has accused the Nigeria Police Force of carrying out the abduction on the orders of the CBN official, describing the act as "unlawful abduction" and a "kidnapping and assassination attempt."

He revealed that security sources initially informed him that Ugagbe was taken to the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad office in Guzape, but a search of the facility has yielded no trace of the journalist.

The Department of State Services has denied involvement in the incident, with Oliver stating that DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi confirmed that no DSS operatives were responsible for the journalist's seizure.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, told the Committee to Protect Journalists that the police are investigating but have not found any record of his detention.

Oliver further alleged that he had called Inspector General of Police Disu and found his response "very cold on the issue," accusing senior police authorities of showing little concern.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Nigerian authorities to "urgently investigate" the abduction and secure Ugagbe's safe return.

CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal stated, "The Nigerian government must act urgently to end the horrific pattern of enforced disappearances of journalists."

Similarly, the International Press Institute Nigeria has strongly condemned the arrest and incommunicado detention, demanding that authorities either charge Ugagbe in court or release him immediately.

IPI Nigeria warned against "the growing trend of using security agencies to intimidate, harass or silence journalists over their professional work."

The development comes months after Secrets Reporters published an explosive investigative report on January 29, 2026, detailing allegations surrounding the personal life of CBN Deputy Governor Emem Nnanna Usoro.

According to the report, Usoro was allegedly named as a co-respondent in a matrimonial suit filed under Suit No: FCT/HC/PET/251/2019, which stemmed from a cross-petition instituted by Mrs. Grace Wesley against her late husband.

The report stated that the legal filings accused Usoro, who at the time was a top executive at United Bank for Africa Plc, of engaging in an intimate relationship with Mr. Wesley while he remained legally married.

Filings reportedly further alleged that children were born from the relationship during the subsistence of the statutory marriage, and Mrs. Wesley asked the court to dissolve the marriage.

Oliver also expressed frustration over the police response, likening the alleged action to kidnapping and accusing the police of abandoning their constitutional responsibilities while insecurity worsens across the country.

He stated, "In a time where kidnappers and bandits are kidnapping innocent citizens, the Nigerian Police has turned to kidnappers too."

Calls and messages from the Committee to Protect Journalists to the federal police spokesperson, Anietie Okokon, received no replies.

Similar attempts to reach the Director General of the State Security Service, the CBN executive, and publicly listed numbers on the CBN website also went unanswered.

The journalist's disappearance adds to a troubling pattern of enforced disappearances of Nigerian journalists, following similar incidents in 2024 when journalist Segun Olatunji was seized from his home by armed military officers.

Journalist Daniel Ojukwu also went missing for 48 hours after being secretly arrested by police in the same year.

The Nigeria Police Force and the Central Bank of Nigeria have come under increasing scrutiny following the reported abduction.

Press freedom advocates continue to demand that authorities take immediate action to locate Ugagbe, ensure his safety, and hold those responsible for his disappearance to account.

As of Saturday, Ugagbe's whereabouts remain unknown, and the circumstances surrounding the operation have raised serious concerns about abuse of power and intimidation of journalists.