Articles by Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Magazine circulation manager arrested, other journalists go into hiding
(MRA/IFEX) – On 5 September 2004, one day after State Security Service (SSS) officers raided the editorial offices of the “Insider Weekly” magazine in Lagos and sealed them off, they returned to arrest the magazine’s circulation manager, Cyril Mbamalu. Mbamalu was taken to the SSS Lagos State headquarters in Shangisha, on the outskirts of Lagos, […]
State security officers seal up magazine’s offices, arrest production manager
(MRA/IFEX) – On 4 September 2004, State Security Service (SSS) officers raided the editorial offices of “The Insider Weekly” news magazine, based in Lagos, and arrested its production manager, Raphael Olatoye, after sealing up the offices. The security agency later accused the magazine of treason, sedition and subversion over a string of articles critical of […]
Proposed law threatens media freedom
(MRA/IFEX) – Nigeria’s federal Legislature, the National Assembly, is considering a draft law that would impose sanctions, jail-terms, fines and suspension for media outlets found guilty of sensational reporting on violent conflicts, parliamentary or inter-governmental disputes, natural disasters and other “negative trends and tendencies”. The draft law, entitled the “Journalism Enhancement Bill”, is presently before […]
Journalist assaulted, another abducted and tortured
(MRA/IFEX) – On 21 July 2004, Uja Emmanuel, a correspondent for “The Sun” newspaper in Makurdi, the capital of Benue state, in north central Nigeria, was assaulted and his camera and tape recorder were destroyed by police officers acting on orders of the assistant commissioner of police (ACP), H.C. Ugwu. Emmanuel was assaulted when he […]
Charges against journalist withdrawn
(MRA/IFEX) – On 9 July 2004, the police in Kano State, northwestern Nigeria, wrote to a Kano Chief Magistrate Court to withdraw the “false publication” charges levelled against Kola Oyelere, the Kano State correspondent for “Nigerian Tribune” newspaper, who was arrested on 4 July.
Journalist released
(MRA/IFEX) – On 8 July 2004, police in Kano State, northwestern Nigeria, released Kola Oyelere, the Kano State correspondent for the privately-owned “Nigerian Tribune” newspaper. Oyelere was arrested by police on 4 July on charges of publishing false information. Oyelere was initially declared wanted on 4 July and arrested later the same day. He was […]
Journalist arrested, tortured and charged with publishing false information
(MRA/IFEX) – On 4 July 2004, Kola Oyelere, the Kano State correspondent for the privately-owned “Nigerian Tribune” newspaper, was arrested by police in Kano State, northwestern Nigeria. He was detained, reportedly tortured and subsequently charged with publishing false information by a Kano Chief Magistrate Court on 5 July. Oyelere was charged with publishing false information […]
Newspaper reporter assaulted and arrested
(MRA/IFEX) – On 25 June 2004, Gbenga Faturoti, a correspondent for the “Daily Independent” newspaper in Osun State, south-west Nigeria, was beaten to near unconsciousness by a group of policemen in Osogbo, the state capital. Faturoti was subsequently arrested and briefly detained. He was assaulted by the policemen on the orders of O. C. Agboromoti, […]