Fatwa issued against journalist, editor released
(IJC/IFEX) – The following is a joint letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo by IJC and other Nigerian NGOs: Community of Media NGOs C/o International Press Centre 42, Ogba-Ijaye Road Ogba, Lagos November 26, 2002 His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo President and Commander-In-Chief Federal Republic of Nigeria Presidential Villa Aso Rock Abuja Federal Capital Territory Your […]
Newspaper editor arrested and detained
(IJC/IFEX) – On 23 November 2002, security agents in Lagos arrested Simon Kolawole, editor of the Nigerian national weekend newspaper “ThisDay”. Kolawole was brought in for questioning over a story on the botched Miss World Contest that was published in his newspaper the previous weekend. The story led to violent protest in the northern part […]
Journalist assaulted
(IJC/IFEX) – On Wednesday 14 June 2000, a journalist with the “Guardian” newspaper, Ben Akparanta, was assaulted while performing his official duties. Akparanta, the newspaper’s police affairs correspondent, said he was physically assaulted and the sum of N10,000 (about US $98) was removed from his car when he was on his way to cross-check certain […]
Governor’s aides assault “Punch” reporters
(IJC/IFEX) – In a bizarre display of power, three of Akwa Ibom State Governor Victor Attah’s security aides dealt several blows to two “Punch” reporters, Soni Daniel and Tony Ita Etim, at the governor’s office in Uyo. The assault took place the week of 29 May 2000. Etim, the “Punch” correspondent in Cross River State, […]
Security operatives seize newspapers, publisher arrested
On 9 March 2000, security operatives swooped down on newspaper stands in Bayelsa state and impounded several copies of the “Independent Monitor” and “Banner News” newspapers on display at the Ekeki motor-park in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state capital. The officers also arrested Union Oyadongha, the publisher of “Banner News”, a regional publication in Bayelsa state. Reports […]
New mechanisms used to suppress press freedom
(IFJ/IFEX) – Peruvian Ombudsman Jorge Santistevan de Noriega made a statement about press freedom during his participation in an international forum on Press, Power and Politics, organised by Channel N, IPYS and The Freedom Forum. He noted that unlike the past, when restrictions to press freedom were explicit and involved obvious mechanisms such as media […]
Two editors and two reporters arrested in Lagos
(IJC/IFEX) – On 3 March 2000, two editors and two reporters of “News Flash”, an evening newspaper, were arrested and detained by police authorities in Lagos. Those arrested were the editor of the paper, David Oladimeji, acting news editor Gbade Ademola and reporters Bashiru Fasasi and Kamilu Shitta. Reports say that the journalists were arrested […]
Security agents raid publishing house, newspapers seized
(IJC/IFEX) – On 2 March 2000, twelve armed security agents stormed the Tribune House, head office of the African Newspapers of Nigeria, publishers of the Tribune titles in Ibadan (south west region of Nigeria), and sealed off the entire company, thereby disturbing production of the newspapers. The security agents’ leader told company workers that they […]
Journalists charged in court
(IJC/IFEX) – Two journalists, Emmanuel Okike-Ogah and Ogbonnaya Okorie, have been arraigned in Abakaliki for publishing a seditious article in which Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu was accused of bribing members of the House of Assembly. The article claimed that the governor bribed the legislators in order to ensure approval of a list of commissoners […]
Report on press freedom violations: August 1999 to February 2000
The following is an IJC comprehensive report on press freeedom violations in Nigeria from August 1999 to February 2000: ALERTS UPDATE (AUGUST 1999 – FEBRUARY 2000) AUGUST 1999 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 […]
Magazine sales manager, driver attacked
On 21 February 2000, Timothy Olakunle Ojo, “The News” magazine’s sales manager in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, was attacked near the Jos Road area of the city by religious zealots who vandalised his car. Saka Anifowose, a driver for the magazine who had gone to Kaduna to deliver “The News” on consignment, was also attacked. He […]
Journalist threatened
(IJC/IFEX) – The Sokoto state government has threatened to deal ruthlessly with the state correspondent of “The Punch” newspaper, Stanley Yakubu, for what it described as “continuous negative coverage of activities in the state.” The director of press affairs to the state governor, Mallam Ibrahim Gidado, who personally threatened the reporter’s life on 8 February […]
Journalist released
**Updates IFEX alert of 4 February 2000** (IJC/IFEX) – Major Adeyi, the assistant editor of “Tell” magazine who was arrested by police on 3 February 2000, has been released. He was released on 4 February after making a statement indicating to police that his interview with Senator Joseph Kennedy Waku was conducted in Jos and […]
Journalists questioned
(IJC/IFEX) – On 3 February 2000, ten journalists were questioned by a team of five 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 piece of […]