(CPJ/IFEX) – Lagos newspapers and magazines (“Guardian”, “Tell”, and “Concord”) report this week that Babafemi Ojudu, managing editor of “TheNEWS” is among over 120 detainees being released courtesy of an amnesty granted by General Sani Abacha. CPJ sources in Lagos report that Ojudu has not been seen by his family or colleagues, and thus could […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – Lagos newspapers and magazines (“Guardian”, “Tell”, and
“Concord”)
report this week that Babafemi Ojudu, managing editor of “TheNEWS” is among
over 120 detainees being released courtesy of an amnesty granted by General
Sani Abacha. CPJ sources in Lagos report that Ojudu has not been seen by
his family or colleagues, and thus could not confirm his release, which was
announced on 27 April 1998.
**Updates IFEX alert of 29 April 1998**
The amnesty, which also benefited criminal detainees over the age of 60
years and criminals who had previously been sentenced to 10-25 year prison
terms, was announced by the federal government.
Authorities stated that the amnesty has nothing to do with Pope John Paul’s
papal appeal during his trip to Nigeria last month, but rather was in
furtherance of an undertaking made by General Abacha during his national
address of November 1997.
Only five detainees being held under Decree 2 were among those grated
amnesty: journalists Soji Omatunde and Mohammed Adamu of “African Concord”,
Onome
Osifo-Whisky of “Tell” and Babafemi Ojudu of “TheNEWS”, and Ogaga Ifodwo of
the
Civil Liberities Organization (CLO).
