Stop harassing Nigerian media, CPJ urges military

Stop harassing Nigerian media, CPJ urges military

  The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Nigerian authorities to stop harassing Nigerian media and allow journalists to report freely. In a statement by CPJ’s West Africa representative, Peter Nkanga, the group condemned the recent harassment of Daily Trust newspaper staff by the Nigerian military. “The Nigerian public deserves access to a range of information sources,

Nigerian soldiers invading a newspaper stand

Nigerian soldiers in action

 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Nigerian authorities to stop harassing Nigerian media and allow journalists to report freely. In a statement by CPJ’s West Africa representative, Peter Nkanga, the group condemned the recent harassment of Daily Trust newspaper staff by the Nigerian military.

“The Nigerian public deserves access to a range of information sources, and journalists deserve to work without fear of reprisal,” the statement said in reference to last Thursday’s incident when soldiers stormed the office of Daily Trust newspaper in the northeastern city of Maiduguri after a story published by the paper on Wednesday alleged that Nigerian soldiers had refused orders to fight Boko Haram militants until they received better weapons.

The soldiers thereafter detained two managers of the paper, Jamilu Aliyu and Aminu Ado, at army headquarters, where they were told to stop criticizing the military in the paper, Dan-Ali told CPJ. The two were released after an hour.

Following the detention, the military released a statement that said the Daily Trust should retract the story and, in the future, contact the military for any story on the army or national security. “Failure to do so would henceforth attract sanctions,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the paper’s editor-in-chief, Mannir Dan-Ali told CPJ that the story, titled “Boko Haram Crisis: Soldiers revolt over inadequate weapons,” was based on interviews with soldiers. It would be recalled that the BBC had also reported on the soldiers’ mutiny, which military officials said they were investigating.

However, CPJ research shows that Nigeria’s military have targeted independent newspapers, over their critical reporting in recent months. According to CPJ, in June, soldiers and Nigeria’s secret police disrupted the deliveries of several newspapers, including LeadershipDaily TrustThe Nation, and Punch.

 

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  • ROWLAND LONGS
    August 25, 2014, 3:39 pm

    LOOKING FORWARD TO A LEVELED PLAYING GROUND FOR JOURNALIST WHILE JOURNALIST SHOULD BEM GUIDED BY ETHICS OF THE PROFESSION

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