Presidency defends military attack on Nigerian newspapers, exonerates Jonathan
Category: Nigerian National News
“…as soon as there is significant reduction in the level of the security alert, the ongoing exercise will be relaxed.”
In its first official reaction to the attacks being carried out by
soldiers on newspapers, the presidency on Saturday defended the Nigerian
military and denied that President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the
attacks.
Soldiers on Friday and Saturday seized and in some cases destroyed
thousands of copies of several newspapers including Leadership, The
Nation, and Punch Newspapers. The general distribution centre for all
newspapers in Area 1, Abuja, was also sealed by soldiers on Saturday.
Several newspapers circulation staff were also harassed and detained in
the process.
The military on Friday claimed the attacks were security checks based
on intelligence it received that materials with grave security
implications were to be distributed alongside the newspapers. The
military neither mentioned the materials, nor said it found any; but
continued with the attacks on Saturday.
While Nigerians and several groups have been condemning the attacks,
President Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin
Okupe, who addressed the media in his office on Saturday, justified the
attacks saying they were “isolated incidents of security checks.”
Mr. Okupe said newspaper publications that the president ordered the clampdown were untrue.
“We wish to state categorically that these reports are untrue, unfair
and totally not in consonance with the posture of Mr. President on
issues concerning Press freedom,” he said.
He said President Jonathan holds the media in very high regards and
has demonstrated so in various ways in the last three years; including
by signing the Freedom of Information Act in 2011.
The presidential aide also said restated the military’s claims that
the newspapers were being targeted not because of their contents.
“The reported incidence of checks being carried out by the military
on major Nigerian roads and cities is not targeted at newspaper vans
because of the contents of the publications as insinuated in the
reports,” he said. “Rather, the military had explained that those
routine checks were being carried out following intelligence reports on
the possibility of some elements within the society using such vehicles
to convey “materials with grave security implications across the
country”.
“While we sympathize with media houses which might have suffered one
discomfort or the other as a result of these security checks. We assert,
for the avoidance of doubt, that the President has not and will never
give any order capable of hampering the smooth running of any media
organization or harass media practitioners in the lawful performance of
their duties,” he said.
According to Mr. Okupe, the government will neither engage in nor
encourage any acts that will constitute an assault on any media
organization or infringe on the freedom of the press.
The aide also gave an indication that the attacks may continue,
saying, “We have received assurances from the military that no personal
liberties of media practitioners or their employees will be unlawfully
tampered with and that as soon as there is significant reduction in the
level of the security alert, the ongoing exercise will be relaxed.”
“We live in very trying times which may necessitate that some section
or sectors of the society might experience some temporary discomfort in
the overall interest of ensuring that the ideals of freedom, peace and
security which we all hold dear will not be compromised by a few
unscrupulous elements in our midst,” he said.
Related posts:
- Dora Akunyili Died of Cancer, Ex Gov Peter Obi Releases Statement
- Prof Dora Akunyili is Dead!
- Nigerian military defends attack on Newspapers, describes it as “routine security action”
- Nigerian women sell their wombs, ovaries —Catholic Bishop
- Why FG Cancels Corps Members Passing Out Parade Nationwide
- Emir Of Kano, Ado Bayero Dead and Buried in Kano Today
- Panic as earth tremor hits Bayelsa community
- Photo: Police Parade Arrested Biafran Group Members Who Tried to Declare Biafra Yesterday in Enugu
- New CBN governor orders banks to halt all charges on deposits
- How Saraki, Tinubu, Odili, others rob their states blind through obnoxious pension laws
No comments