Army’s unwarranted crackdown on media

It is in recognition of the above that the freedom of press is fully granted in the constitution. However, it must be noted that the said freedom of the press does not give media organisations and practitioners the leeway to unnecessarily malign or mar the reputation of any individual, group or government. In a situation […]

It is in recognition of the above that the freedom of press is fully granted in the constitution. However, it must be noted that the said freedom of the press does not give media organisations and practitioners the leeway to unnecessarily malign or mar the reputation of any individual, group or government. In a situation where this occurs, the affected person, group or government, has the right to seek redress in court.
It is on this note that I condemn the unwarranted clampdown of the Nigerian military on the media. It was reported that selected newspapers were confiscated and distribution vans of the media outfits impounded. And the military said they were acting on a supposed intelligence report.
I do not think it is proper for the military to launch this kind of onslaught on the media, no matter where the directive may have come from. Rather than this offensive attack and needless intimidation of the media, the Nigerian Army, as a key security agency, should ensure a very smooth relationship with the press. As a matter of fact, they are supposed to see themselves as partners in progress with media organisations in the fight against terrorism, which is seriously hitting us in the face at the moment.
The deadly activities of the Boko Haram sect have reportedly claimed about 12, 000 lives since 2009, even as the terrorist group is currently holding about 300 innocent schoolgirls captive for almost two months now. The rescue of these girls is what we should concentrate on now, not the harassment of newspapers.
The media is the only means through which the common man airs his views on what is happening in the society; therefore the action of the military should be condemned by all Nigerians. The president, as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has a duty to call the military to order.  
Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, had laboured in vain to explain the action of the military, saying, “The defence headquarters wishes to clarify that the exercise has nothing to do with content or operation of the media organisations or their personnel as it is being wrongly imputed by a section of the press. The military appreciates and indeed respects the role of the media as an indispensable partner in the ongoing counter-insurgency operation and the overall advancement of our country’s democratic credentials. As such, the military will not deliberately and without cause, infringe on the freedom of the press. The general public and the affected media organisations in particular are assured that the exercise was a routine security action and should not be misconstrued for any other motive.” This explanation does not hold water.  
This is the right time for concerned Nigerians to speak against impunity. This country must move forward; we cannot allow a group of people or individuals to destroy our collective heritage.
Michael Jegede,  Abuja