The abducted SecretsReporters journalist, Stanley Ugagbe, who was allegedly seized by armed men in mufti on his way home, has been found in a Police facility in Abuja.
According to sources, Ugagbe 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.
The operatives reportedly handcuffed him, took him to his residence in Jikwoyi, seized his work laptop and phone before blindfolded him and drove him to an undisclosed location.
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).”
Sources said Ugagbe remained blindfolded throughout the night at the first location until Thursday, July 2 and was later driven to another facility before the blindfold was removed.
According to SecretsReporters, the facility is the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC).
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.
According to sources, a second petition, allegedly submitted anonymously, accused the journalist platform of leaking sensitive government information and official secrets considered detrimental by the authorities.
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.
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.
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 are yet to react to the abduction of the journalist.
