Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), has ordered sanctions against the head of the unit involved in the arrest of Sodeeq Atanda, a senior reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).

The order comes amid criticism of tactics used by officers from the IGP monitoring unit, who allegedly detained Atanda’s wife, Adenike, and their nine-month-old baby to lure the journalist.

The incident happened on Monday in Ikorodu, Lagos, where police operatives reportedly held the woman and infant at the Owutu police station before coercing her to call her husband, claiming the baby was ill and needed urgent medical attention.