Articles by Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Journalist receives death threats over census story
(MRA/IFEX) – Emmanuel Ugwu, a correspondent for “ThisDay” newspaper in Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria, has lodged a complaint with the State Commissioner of Police over death threats he allegedly received following the publication of a story he wrote for his newspaper. The story was about an assault on census enumerators participating in the country’s […]
Broadcast journalist arrested and detained overnight
(MRA/IFEX) – On 14 March 2006, Segun Owolabi, a senior news officer with Rhythm 93 FM radio in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital in the Niger Delta region, was arrested by officers of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria’s intelligence service, and detained overnight before being released on the afternoon of 15 March. Owolabi […]
Television camera operator assaulted by police officers
(MRA/IFEX) – On 6 January 2006, Deji Ademakinwa, a cameraman with Galaxy Television in Lagos, was assaulted and seriously wounded by policemen in a parking lot in the Ikoyi area of Lagos. Ademakinwa, armed only with his camera, was sitting in a parked Galaxy Television staff vehicle waiting for his colleague, who had gone into […]
Court grants bail to two journalists charged with “false reporting”
(MRA/IFEX) – On 3 January 2006, a Port Harcourt High Court granted bail to two radio journalists detained on 19 December 2005 on charges of broadcasting a “false news item”. Klem Ofuokwu, the news editor, and Cleopatra Taiwo, a news presenter with the privately-owned radio station Rhythm 93.7 FM, in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers […]
Two journalists charged with “false reporting”, remanded in custody
(MRA/IFEX) – On 23 December 2005, two journalists with the privately-owned radio station Rhythm 93.7 FM, in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State in the Niger Delta region, were arraigned before a Port Harcourt High Court on charges of broadcasting “false information” and remanded in custody until 3 January 2006. Klem Ofuokwu, the station’s news […]
Security agents close radio station briefly, detain journalists overnight
(MRA/IFEX) – On 17 December 2005, armed policemen and agents of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria’s intelligence service, shut down a privately-owned radio station, Rhythm 93.7 FM, in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The security agents also arrested David Obi, Head of News, and Loknan Dombim, Programmes […]
Reporter beaten by police, camera smashed
(MRA/IFEX) – On 1 December 2005, “New Age” newspaper reporter Annabelle Ayika was beaten by policemen attached to the Lagos State Governor, who also smashed her camera as she took photographs of the policemen brutally attacking some traders at the Lagos State Secretariat complex. Ayika, the Digital Age reporter for the newspaper, was at the […]
Government shuts down radio station, arrests general manager
(MRA/IFEX) – On 30 November 2005, a combined team of soldiers and policemen, apparently acting on the orders of the federal government, seized the Bayelsa State-owned radio station, Glory FM, located in Yenogoa, the state capital in the Niger Delta region. The station’s general manager, Brighten Sorgwe, was also arrested. Over 200 armed policemen and […]