(MRA/IFEX) – On 22 August 2005, a presidential committee investigating the jail-breaks that took place at the Port Harcourt Prison in Rivers State and the Ugwuashi-Ukwu Prison in Delta State barred journalists from covering its proceedings. Senator Stella Omu, the chair of the committee, which is sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said journalists […]
(MRA/IFEX) – On 22 August 2005, a presidential committee investigating the jail-breaks that took place at the Port Harcourt Prison in Rivers State and the Ugwuashi-Ukwu Prison in Delta State barred journalists from covering its proceedings.
Senator Stella Omu, the chair of the committee, which is sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said journalists were being barred from the venue where the committee is meeting because the proceedings were not yet meant for media coverage.
She claimed that the presence of journalists at this stage of proceedings could prevent some witnesses from coming forward to voluntarily give information on the Uguashi-Uku incident, which would jeopardise the committee’s work.
Senator Omu said journalists would be invited to cover the proceedings at the appropriate time.
