| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
PRESS RELEASE - NIGERIA
1 October 1997
Clean sweep of the media in Nigeria, says RSF
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), Paris
**For background to cases mentioned in the press release, see IFEX alerts**
(RSF/IFEX) - Since early September 1997, because of articles published about the deterioration of President Sani Abacha's health, the Nigerian private press has been harassed. More than twenty people have been detained. The coverage given by the private press brought repression from the authorities. On 10 September, Nosa Igiebor, editor-in-chief of the privately-owned magazine "Tell", had his home invaded by security men. This search was related to an article, headlined "Abacha's illness worsens", which mentioned that the head of state was very ill and suffering from cirrhosis. The same news, published in the 7 September edition of the privately-owned magazine "The News", led to the arrest of an administration officer, a correspondent, five news agents, five sub-agents and many vendors of the magazine. All copies of "The News" for sale in Abuja were impounded.
Elsewhere, a government anti-crime outfit called "Operation Sweep" is patrolling the streets of Lagos, targeting newspaper vendors. "Operation Sweep" has already caused the death of one person and the abduction of another. On 1 July, Godfrey Chukwu, a newspaper vendor in Lagos, died after the outfit fired without warning; one of the bullets hit Chukwu in the head. On 11 September, Segun Olatunji, a journalist with the privately-owned newspaper "The Daily Sketch", was whisked away by "Operation Sweep" agents who extorted money from him at gunpoint, before releasing him.
More and more, Sani Abacha's government is relying on blackmail and arrests. The detention by security officers of Reth Ateloye, the librarian of the magazine "FAME", is significant. His arrest is related to a search at the premises of the magazine with the intention of arresting the editor, who was not in. The officers left after ransacking the premises of "FAME". They arrested Ateloye with a promise to hold on to him until one of the editors would report to the Police Force CID Headquarters. However, the librarian was released on 22 September. Another example: after breaking into the house of Nosa Igiebor, security agents took away his wife, as he was out of town. She was freed hours later, but the security men promised to come back for her unless she produced her husband within 24 hours. Igiebor and his wife instituted a suit in the Federal High Court, alleging violation of their fundamental rights.
A few weeks ahead of the meeting at which the reintegration of Nigeria into the Commonwealth will be discussed, Reporters Sans Frontieres points out that five journalists are still in prison in Nigeria. Christina Anyanwu, editor-in-chief of the privately- owned magazine "The Sunday Magazine", George Mbah, a journalist with "Tell", Ben Charles Obi, editor of the magazine "Weekend Classique", and Kunle Ajibade, editor of "The News", have been in prison since May 1995 after being sentenced to 15 years in jail. All of them were convicted of "concealing information and involvement to varying degrees in the failed coup d'etat". A fifth journalist, Mohammed Adamu, editor in chief of the privately-owned magazine "African Concord", is allegedly still detained without any official charge.
RSF calls on General Sani Abacha to improve the situation of the freedom of the press by securing the immediate and unconditional release of the five imprisoned journalists, and by putting an end to the arbitrary arrests which are still being carried out against members of the privately-owned media.
For further information, contact Tony Simonneau or Isabelle Haymann at RSF, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: rsf@calvanet.calvacom.fr, Internet: http://www.calvacom.fr/rsf/.
The information contained in this press release is the sole responsibility of RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF. _________________________________________________________________
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[Via the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated Regional Information Network for West Africa (IRIN-WA) Reports mailing list. The material contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of the UN or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts from this report should be attributed to the original sources where appropriate. For further information: e-mail irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci, Tel: +225 217367 Fax:+225 216335.]
Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19971002080218.006a6ac8@pop.africaonline.co.ci> Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1997 08:02:18 +0100 From: UN DHA IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@africaonline.co.ci> Subject: Nigeria: IFEX press release, Clean sweep of the media, says RSF 97.10.02
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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