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Editors and writers of Nigeria's independent news media have fought bravely and vigorously in defence of their individual and group rights during the years of military dictatorship. Since the collapse of military rule and with the instauration of democracy in May 1999 the expectation that dark days are over seems to require a more tentative response. The index presented here represents a six-month review of how the democratic regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo's is coping with the challenges of press freedom violations in Nigeria.
JOURNALIST DETAINED Wale Adedayo, former associate editor of Conscience International magazine, was arrested on 8 August and detained for six days by the police at FESTAC police station in Lagos. The arrest and detention were carried out on the order of the publisher of Conscience International magazine, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, who accused Adebayo of stealing money and a computer. He was released on 13 August 1999. JOURNALISTS BARRED On 17 August, the Ogun State House of Assembly sitting in Abeokuta, the capital, barred reporters from covering the appearance of a former military administrator, Lt. Col. Daniel Akintode, summoned over some contracts awarded during his tenure, despite an earlier assurance that they (the journalists) could cover the proceedings. VENDORS ARRESTED On 29 August, scores of newspaper vendors were arrested and their consignments of newspapers and magazines seized by sanitation officials at Obiagu newspapers distribution center in Enugu State capital for allegedly violating environmental laws. The vendors had protested that they were performing essential services in the dissemination of information, but the sanitation officials did not let them go until the State Director of ENSEPA, the local distributor league, Afim Nnaji, intervened. JOURNALISTS ASSAULTED On 31 August, journalists covering the Enugu State House of Assembly were assaulted by the chairman of the house's information committee, Callistus Nanamani, over media reports on the alleged plan of some lawmakers in the house to impeach the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Clatus Enebe.
JOURNALIST DETAINED On 9 September, Cyril Mbah, a reporter with the Hallmark newsmagazine was arrested and taken to the Enugu State Government House by persons suspected to be party thugs. The journalist was arrested during a protest staged by the civil servants in the state over alleged non-payment of salaries. The journalist was manhandled and thrown into a waiting vehicle. He was released some hours later. NBC CLOSES CABLE STATION The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) shut down Here and There, an Ibadan-based cable transmission station, on 7 September. The Regional Director of NBC in Lagos, Eddy Aina, said that the action came as the result of defaults in the operations of the station, which contravened the national broadcasting code.
Nineteen broadcasting stations in the country were barred from transmitting, effective 5 October, for what the National Broadcasting Commission termed "failure to pay renewal fees". Among those affected were four cable television licences held by ABG communication, Daar Communications, owners of the RayPower FM radio and Africa Independent Television (AIT), DBN Television, and Murhi International Television (MITV). MEDIA MANAGER SACKED The General Manager of the Benue State government-owned "Voice" newspaper, Simon Melabo, was removed from office on 2 October. The state commissioner of information, Terhemba Shija, said that the removal of the general manager was part of a major reorganization of the newspaper. CUSTOMS IMPOUND MAGAZINE On 2 October, about 20,000 copies of the London-based monthly magazine "Africa Today" were impounded by the Customs Department in Lagos. The Regional Editor (West Africa) of the magazine, Muyiwa Akintunde, said the copies were impounded on the order of the Customs Area Comptroller for the Lagos Airport, Alhaji Daura, who was uncomfortable with the headline of the paper and therefore sought to seek clearance from Abuja before the magazines were released. JOURNALIST ARRESTED Jerry Needham, editor of the "Ogoni Star", was arrested on 13 October and detained for 24 hours by the police in Ogoni land in Delta state. The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), in a statement alleged that the arrest was not unconnected with a police report published in "Ogoni Star". NEWSPAPER RAIDED On 29 October, armed bandits raided the offices of "This day" newspaper and injured two persons. The bandits, numbering six, invaded the offices of the newspaper and made away with personal effects, monies and official documents. EDITOR SACKED The Editor of "The Pioneer" newspaper, Obioa Ekanem, was removed from office. Ekanem's offence, it was learnt, was a publication in the newspaper which the Akwa Ibom State government allegedly viewed as being in favor of a faction of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
DISTRIBUTOR BRUTALISED On 3 November, Titus Eze, a newspaper distributor in Port Harcourt was assaulted and brutalized by the police. Eze's offence was not immediately clear but reports said that he had gone to the police station at Mile One along Ikweme Road, in Port Harcourt, to report about a robbery incident when he suffered the attack. JOURNALIST ARRESTED On 27 November, the police in Uyo, the state capital, arrested Tony Etim, the Akwa Ibom State correspondent of the "National Post" newspaper. Etim was arrested on the order of the Akwa Ibom police commissioner, Yahaya Baba, for undisclosed reasons. He was later released.
POLICE HUNTS FOR JOURNALIST On 10 December, security operatives from the Kano State police command laid siege to the "Vanguard" newspaper offices in Kano with the intention of arresting Nathaniel Ikyur, the state correspondent. Reports said that the correspondent was sought by the state police command over a story carried by the "Vanguard" on 9 December with the caption "Fresh Ethnic Clashes Loom in Kano, Lagos". POLICE DECLARES EDITOR WANTED On 20 December, police authorities in Ekiti state declared the editor of the Ekiti weekly tabloid "Ekiti Sun", Jackson Adebayo, wanted. Adebayo was branded as secretary to Oodua People's Congress (OPC), (a pan-Yoruba cultural group). Reports said that the state government allegedly ordered the editor's arrest for reasons connected to the invasion of the state by OPC members. LAWMAKERS THREATEN JOURNALISTS On 24 August, the Bayelsa state correspondent of "The Punch" newspaper, Ofonime Umanah, petitioned the state police commissioner over repeated threats to his life by some members of the state house of assembly. In the petition, Umana said that he had received several threatening letters since his coverage of the crisis in the house on 17 August. PUBLISHER THREATENED On 8 December, Ogbonnaya Okorie, publisher of "Ebonyi Times", alleged that he had received threats to his life by persons he called agents of the state government. Okorie, in a letter captioned "Threat to My Life", addressed to the police commissioner of Ebonyi State, complained that "unknown but undesirable agents, suspected to be either security operatives or thugs have visited my office and home, sometimes at odd hours to look for unknown reasons". JOURNALISTS THREATEN BOYCOTT On 4 December, journalists from a number of media houses covering Bayelsa state resolved to boycott coverage of all activities involving the state government. This resolution was reached as the result of alleged incessant acts of harassment being meted out on them by the Chief Protocol Officer (CPO) to the state governor, Joseph Akedson. The journalists demanded an apology from the CPO, and failing this they vowed to sustain the boycott. OPC THREATENS THE POST EXPRESS On 14 December, "The Post Express" newspaper reported receiving several telephone calls, from persons claiming to be members of the Pan-Yoruba Cultural Group, Oodua People's Congress (OPC), threatening to deal with the editors. The callers reportedly warned that by the time they finished with "The Post Express", the editors would come to their senses. The callers kept the media house telephone lines busy reeling out threats in connection with The Post Express' reportage of their activities. PHOTOJOURNALISTS BARRED FROM COURT SESSION On 15 December, photojournalists of both print and broadcast media were barred from covering the court's session of the murder trial of Major Hamza Al Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha and two others. Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, presiding judge of the Ikeja High Court, ordered the journalists to leave the courtroom citing Rule 2 (10) code of conduct for judicial officers, which she said, forbids recording and photography to avoid undue dramatization of court proceedings. Justice Kekere-Ekun further ordered security agents to arrest journalists caught taking photographs, as well as banned the use of electronic gadgets within the court premises. JOURNALISTS BARRED On 11 December, journalists were barred from covering discussions between officers of the government and the World Bank team on the privatization of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in Abuja, the federal capital. The journalists, who were at the venue on special invitation, were asked to leave shortly after the commencement of the session because, according to government officials, it was "too premature" to allow journalists to witness such discussions. ROBBERS INVADE MEDIA HOUSE On 13 December, armed robbers invaded the offices of Encomium Ventures, publishers of "National Encomium" and "Reel Stars" magazines, in Lagos. The robbers carted away money and personal effects. The armed gang, five in number, walked into the magazine's offices at about 5.00 p.m. and held the staff, clients and children to ransom at gun-point for over 25 minutes while the operation was carried out. Two people, among them an editorial employee, Remi Adelowo, were injured. JOURNALISTS ASSAULTED On 21 December, a number of journalists covering the state house, Abuja, were assaulted by security officers while covering a protest match by Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC). Mostly affected were Timothy Ikhuomenisan, photojournalist with "National Times", who had his camera damaged and seized; Adeshina Abayomi, photojournalist with "Vanguard", whose camera was seized; and Yakubu Ellam of African Independent Television (AIT), who had the tape on which he had recorded for over an hour seized. POLICE ARREST EDITOR On 24 December, the police in Kano arrested Prince Ajayi Memaiyetan, Editor-in-Chief of a Yoruba Language monthly newsletter, "Oodua News". Reports said that his arrest was in connection with the 5 January 2000 edition of the newsletter which carried the front-page caption: "New Millennium, Different Ball Game". He was released on 26 December. MEDIA HOUSE RAIDED On 24 December, the Imo State Newspapers Limited office was invaded by an armed gang who stole about N600, 000 (US$6,000) meant for workers' salary arrears. The robbers held all the staff who were on duty hostage and asked for the whereabouts of the general manager.
BANDITS RAID OFFICE On 3 January 2000, armed robbers raided the Abuja office of "This day" newspaper, taking away household valuables, electronics and cash. Reports said that a fully armed five-man gang invaded the office at about 3:00 a.m. and wounded the deputy editor (Abuja) of the Lagos-based daily, Kenneth Tadeferua. JOURNALISTS DECLARED MISSING Eubaldus Enahoro, reporter at the Edo State-owned "The Observer", was declared missing at Adeje, Warri, Delta State on 5 January. Enahoro had gone to Adeje, the scene of a vandalized petroleum pipeline in the area but was reportedly chased away by hostile villagers. He has since not been seen. EDITOR SENT ON COMPULSORY VACATION The General Manager of the Akwa Ibom State Newspaper Corporation (publisher of "The Pioneer"), Ekaette Ekpo, was sent on compulsory vacation effective immediately on 2 January 2000. The chairman of the board of directors of the newspaper, Nsikak Essien, said that the editor was ordered to go so as to allow the new board to have access to the corporation's financial and other records. GOVERNMENT DISMISSES 142 RADIO/TV WORKERS On 11 January, the government of Osun State, owners sacked 142 staffers, including four directors of the stations. The secretary to the state government, Sola Akinwumi, said the government action was part of the execution of the report of the audit committee, which was set up to restructure the civil service. JOURNALIST UNDER THREAT On 12 January, the Edo State correspondent of the "Nigerian Tribune", Suyi Ayodele, raised alarm over threats to his life by people suspected to be agents of the Edo State government, over a story published in the "Saturday Tribune" of 8 January 2000. BOMB SCARE AT THE GUARDIAN On 17 January, the police were called into the premises of The Guardian newspapers Limited following a bomb scare at its Rutam House office in Isolo, Lagos. The company's officials invited the police after a telephone call warned that a bomb had been planted on the premises. An intensive search of the company's offices and other key operational areas was conducted for about an hour. JOURNALIST ASSAULTED On 13 January, Uche Maduemesi, "TELL" magazine representative in Enugu State, was assaulted by a State Security Service (SSS) official attached to the Enugu State governor, Chief Chimaroke Nanamani, at a social gathering in Enugu. POLICE INVADED IPC, ARRESTED JOURNALISTS On 19 January, armed policemen invaded the premises of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, and arrested four journalists. Reports said the policemen who invaded the IPC were probably searching for members of the Oodua Liberation Movement (OLM), a cultural organization, which addressed a press conference at the centre shortly before the invasion. The journalists were released hours later. EDITOR DISMISSED The editor of "Daily Champion" newspaper, Ugo Onuoha, was dismissed on 20 January. Reports said that the termination of the editor's appointment may have been prompted by a lead story of the 20 January edition of the "Daily Champion" newspaper captioned "Obasanjo Funds OPC-Senator" which was distasteful to the publisher.
JOURNALIST ARRESTED On 3 February, plain-clothes detectives arrested Major Adeyi, an assistant editor and Jos City bureau chief of "TELL" magazine, in Jos. He was taken to the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Plateau State Police Command headquarters, before being moved to Abuja, the federal capital. Adeyi had conducted an interview with Senator Joseph Kennedy Waku. The interview, published in "TELL" magazine, quoted the senator as describing President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration as the worst in Nigeria's history, and calling for a military coup d'etat. The interview attracted reactions from a number of the country's regions, including the national assembly and Waku'' home consistency in Benue State. Adeyi was however released on 4 February after an intense interrogation about the interview. JOURNALIST QUIZZED On 3 February, ten journalists from a number of different media houses (names still unavailable) were questioned by a team of 5 military personnel from signal barracks Arakan, cantonment, Lagos, for allegedly encroaching on a piece of land at Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb. The journalists were in the area to assess the damage done to the shanties built on the land and to their occupants. The team of security operatives, led by E.A Ajobiewe, subsequently ordered the journalists to stop their questioning. When the journalists explained their mission, Ajobiewe insisted that the journalists did not have the right to visit the place or take photographs. The journalists were eventually taken to the army barracks and released several hours later after an intense interrogation. JOURNALIST THREATENED On 8 February, the Sokoto state government threatened to deal ruthlessly with the correspondent of "The Punch" newspaper, Stanley Yakubu, for what it described as "continuous negative coverage of activities in the state". Mallam Ibrahim Gidado, the director of Press Affairs to the state government, was quoted as saying "I have been sent ... to warn you to be very careful and put a stop to all the nonsense you have been writing... in the interest of your life, or you may not live to tell the story..." For further information, contact Akin Akingbulu, Tejumola House (1st Floor) 24, Omole Layout, New Isheri Road, P.O. Box 7808, Ojodu, Ikeja - Lagos, Nigeria, Tel/fax: +234 1 492 4998 / 492 4314. Ijc@linkserve.com.ng, ijc@hyperia.com *Gbenga Fashiku is a Program Officer at the Independent Journalism Center [IJC] in Lagos.
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