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Africa Policy E-JournalNigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 2 +++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++ Region: West Africa +++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION (CLO) SPECIAL REPORT (continued from part 1) FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY On September 18, 1997 the send-off party organised by human rights and pro-democracy groups in Lagos in honour of the immediate past Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) Walter Carrignton was forcibly halted by a team of the Operation Sweep, special security squad of the Lagos State Government. Although the party was holding in the private residence of a NADECO chieftain, the gun wielding security agents broke their way in and forced all the guests to disperse immediately. Weeks later, Master of Ceremony at the occasion, Barrister Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, was arrested together with his 75-year old man by soldiers from the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI). He is still being held allegedly for refusing to retract his statement that soldiers manhandled him while trying to arrest him. On Thursday December 11 1997, a press conference organised by the United Action for Democracy (UAD) a coalition of human rights and pro-democracy groups was stopped a group of police detective. The conference, billed to address the implication of Yar'adua's death in prison, was holding at the Social Centre of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). STATE OF THE MEDIA The attack on Freedom of Expression increases by the day. While no fewer than 30 journalists are languishing in various prisons - non convicts and convicts alike - several others have been in and out of prison intermittently. The supposedly free journalists are not faring any better as state security operatives keep 'hovering' media establishments. Shortly after the Abuja Bureau Chief of African Concord Magazine, Mohammed Adamu, was detained, a renewed offensive was launched against the magazine with SSS operatives 'visiting' the premises daily. The entire staffers subsequently abandoned the official premises forcing them to discontinue the production of magazine. The discontinuation not withstanding, Midweek Concord of Wednesday December 3, 1997, reported that the duo of Messrs Lewis Obi and Obie Chukwumba, Managing Director and Deputy Editor of th magazine respectively are being desperately sought after by State Security operatives. This, according to the newspaper has forced Mr Chukwumba to flee his home. As in the case of African Concord, Tell staffers have since had to abandon their office at ACME Road, Ogba-Ikeja since their Managing Editor was nabbed. Some reporters of the magazine told CLO in an interview that they now meet at secret locations to be able to continue producing their magazine. According to a statement issued on October 29 signed by the magazine's managing editor, a shadowy organisation parading itself as above the law and even above compiled a list of about 22 names of Tell staffer as their 'hit' targets. The statement furthe stated that the threatening body was demanding huge sums of money as ransom for each of the named staff. Mr Osifo-Whiskey's detention brings to two the number of Tell staffers currently incarcerated. The other persons, Mr George Mbah, an Assistant Editor is currently serving a 15-year jail term following his conviction by the Gen. Patrick Aziza Tribunal on he trumped up charge of being "accessory after the fact of coup". Thisday Newspapers' journalists are not faring any better. November 14, 1997 the publisher, Mr Nduka Obaigbena was arrested in Abuja. On release four days later, he was directed to report back to the Directorate of Military Intelligence with four of th journalists on his papers who worked on the Abacha-regime's fourth anniversary story published by the paper titled: Four Men Behind Abacha. One of the journalists so invited who demanded anonymity told CLO in an interview: "The officer who handled our case flatly told us that any attempt to write on Abacha again is at the risk of our lives. After abusing us severely, he told us with air of finality. Next time I have cause to invite you here I won't hesitate to waste (kill) you". YOBE TELEVISION STAFF Eight staffers of the Yobe State Television (YTV) in Damaturu were on October 6, 1997 severely beaten by the State Security Agents on the order of the State Military Administrator, Wing Commander John Ben Kalio. Their offence was the airing of the 45-minute documentary on the achievements of the immediate past Military Administrator of the State, Police Commissioner Dabo Aliu relayed by the station. BENUE STATE Two journalists were on October 1, 1997 arrested and detained by Policemen in Makurdi. The journalists Tenkum Kokoh of Democrats Newspaper and Folu Oyewusi of Daily Sketch were arrested while covering a seminar on "Nigeria '98 and the Principles of Rotati onal Presidency" organised in commemoration of Nigeria's 37th Independence Anniversary. No reason was given for their arrest and detention. They were released few days later. KADUNA STATE The Kaduna State correspondent of The News and Tempo, Henry Ugbolue was arrested on December 10 by State Security agents attached to the Government House Kaduna, he was severely assaulted and later detained. No reason was given for his arrest. He was neither charged nor accused of any offence till he was released days later. ARRESTS AND DETENTION MOHAMMED ADAMU He is the Abuja Bureau Chief of African Concord magazine owned by detained June 12, winner Basorun MKO Abiola. He was arrested on Sunday July 27, 1997 for allegedly contributing to the cover story his magazine did on one of the aides of the head of state, Major Al Mustapha. Since he was incarcerated, Adamu has been held incommunicado, denied visits by relations, lawyers and doctors. He is yet to be charged. SOJI OMOTUNDE He is the editor of African Concord Magazine. He was arrested on October 25, 1997 while driving along Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja. Though still using walking stick following a recent accident in which he was involved, Omotunde was reportedly beaten and severely harassed before he was taken to unknown location by the State Security Service operatives who arrested him. THE NEWS EDITORS On August 6th 1997, State Security Service (SSS) operatives invaded the premises of Independent Communications publishers of PM News, The News and Tempo Weeklies. They ransacked the editors' offices and arrested Messrs Bayo Onanuga and Babafemi Ojudu, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor respectively. No explanation was offered for the action. Shortly afterwards three other editors in the group, Messrs Demola Abimboye, Gbenga Alaketu and Jenkins Alumona were also picked up. While Messrs Abimboye and Alaketu were later released, Mr Fakeye was not. On Monday November 17 1997 Mr Ojudu was picked up again at Seme Border town while returning from Kenya where he had gone to attend a conference. He is currently being detained at No. 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi office of the State Security Service (SSS). Two days after Mr Ojudu was detained, an administrative staff of Independent Communications, Mr Rafiu Salawu, who went to Apapa to see Mr Ojudu was equally arrested and detained without any charge since. A week after Mr Ojudu was detained, PM News, a daily evening newspaper reported that a shoot-at-sight order has been issued on Mr Onanuga. 1.30a.m Monday November 3, DMI officers stormed the residence of Mrs Ladi Olorunyomi asking her to produce Mr Onanuga since the former is the wife of Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, Mr Onanuga's deputy at Independent Communications. Being unable to help with their mand, she was immediately arrested and taken to DMI. She was released two days later. She had been similarly arrested twice in the year apparently in lieu of her husband. Mr Onanuga has since fled the country following the order on his head. TELL EDITORS Wednesday September 10, 1997, operatives of a supposedly special security squad of the Lagos State Government Operation Sweep, forced their way into the residence of the editor-in-Chief Tell weekly magazine, Mr Nosa Igiebor. With one of them pointing h gun at the head of Mr Igiebor's daughter, Obosa they demanded to see Mr Igiebor immediately. Refusing to believe Mrs Igiebor that her hubby who was out o the country, was not around, they arrested her. She was released later that day. Some weeks after the residence of the Igiebors was sacked, the Tell management issued a statement that the lives of all its editors were in danger. They alleged that they had received series of frightening calls to that effect. Finally on Sunday Novemb 9 1997, the Managing Editor of the Magazine, Mr Onome Osifo-Whiskey was arrested on his way to church. AKIN ADESOKAN A senior correspondent with The Post Express newspaper and a 1996 winner of ANA (Association of Nigeria Authors) award, he was arrested together with Ogaga Ifowodo. Akin was returning from Graz, Australia where he had gone on a two and a half month writing fellowship. Akin was previously in the United States on Writers-in-exile fellowship. Like Ogaga, he was first detained at 15, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi office of the State Security Service (SSS) before he was moved to the InterCentre. His doctor, lawyers and relations have equally been denied access. LIST OF DETAINEES
Name + Position + Place of Arrest + Date of Arrest + Detained At + Remarks POLITICIANS
JOURNALISTS 9. Mrs Chris Anyanwu + Publisher, The Sunday Magazine (TSM) Lagos +
4/6/95 + Convicted by + Patrick Aziza led tribunal for being accessory
after the fact of coup MOSOP ACTIVISTS 24. Mr Bariture Bawo Lebe + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area 5/1/94 + Port
Harcourt COUP CONVICTS 42. Trooper Anang I. Offem + Soldier + Lagos + 4/26/90 + Kirikiri +
Arrested and detained + in connection with the April 22, 1990 aborted coup.
Granted Amnesty since October 1991, but still in jail HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS 90. Mr Ogaga Ifowodo + CLO Staff/Lawyer + Seme Border + 7/11/97 + SSS
Annex, Ikoyi OTHERS 93. Mr Musa Oko Iya-Afon + unknown + Ilorin + 5/3/97 + Police CID +
Arrested and detained for an alleged bomb blast in Ilorin discharged by
the court but never released 94. Moshood Nurudeen + March 1995 EXILES
AND SEVERAL OTHERS CLO CALLS FOR:
WRITE YOUR LETTERS OF CONCERN TO:
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES CONTACT CLO, 24 Mbonu Ojike St., Off Alhaji Masha Road, Surulele, Lagos, Nigeria.
Documents previously distributed in the e-journal are
available on the Africa Action website: To be added to or dropped from the e-journal subscription list, write to e-journal@africaaction.org. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the source mentioned in the posting.
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Africa Policy E-Journal
