Nigerian Army’s Clampdown on the media persists

The Clampdown on the media by the Nigerian military has entered the second day as soldiers confiscated newspapers from marketers and vendors across the country Saturday. In Maiduguri, a Daily Trust Marketing executive and some vendors were arrested along with the papers. The Marketing executive said the sector Commander accused the media of publishing and […]

The Clampdown on the media by the Nigerian military has entered the second day as soldiers confiscated newspapers from marketers and vendors across the country Saturday.

In Maiduguri, a Daily Trust Marketing executive and some vendors were arrested along with the papers.

The Marketing executive said the sector Commander accused the media of publishing and selling falsehood.

But the management of Daily Trust said the expose the paper did about the Army Barrack land shared among generals has not been refuted by the Nigerian Army.

A statement released by the management of Media Trust (publishers of Daily Trust) read in part : “The Nigerian Army today prevented the distribution and sale of WEEKLY TRUST, the Saturday edition of DAILY TRUST newspaper, in many parts of the country in continuation of its assault which began at dawn yesterday.

“Many of our distribution drivers, who were detained at dawn yesterday,

following the interception of their delivery vans, were not released until

late night while two of them, Ibrahim Umar and Ilya Mohammed, were still

being detained more than 24 hours later.

“In Abuja where DAILY TRUST head office is located, armed soldiers in four trucks were stationed at the newspapers’ main distribution centre in Area One.

“The soldiers, who were fully armed, insisted on carrying out the “order

from above” to flip through each of the several thousand copies of WEEKLY TRUST in search of alleged “security risk material”.

“Even when they finished spinning the newspapers without finding any incriminating item the soldiers still prevented our sales personnel from distributing WEEKLY TRUST to thousands of anxious vendors who make a living from newspaper retailing.

“In Kano where the DAILY TRUST has its second major printing press, thousands of copies of WEEKLY TRUST were barred from leaving the press.

This prevented the supply of the newspaper to many states in the North West Nigeria including Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara.

“Similarly, the copies printed at the Maiduguri press were prevented from being circulated in the North East Nigeria in a bid to starve the readers in Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe states.

“It will be recalled that DAILY TRUST had published an exclusive lead story

on Wednesday on the sharing of an Abuja barrack plots to Army generals and their spouses for personal use.

“The report listed the beneficiaries of the plots as serving and retired military officers also reflected the reactions of relevant Army authorities and officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration,” the statement said.

Prominent Nigerians have taken to twitter to condemn the crackdown on the press.

“By attacking the press and arresting journalists, aren’t we slowly edging back to the dark days of military dictatorship?,” Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar asked in one of his tweets.

Defence Spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, had claimed that the clampdown was a routine operation when it started yesterday.