The military clampdown on Nigerian newspapers is still on as the Nigerian military Monday and Tuesday confiscated copies of Leadership and Daily Trust newspapers in Minna, Niger State, and Sokoto State according to reports.
The clampdown which began Friday, though condemned by individuals and media owners is being termed as “routine security exercise.” by some of the military and even the federal government has defended their move.
Managing Director of Leadership Group, Azubuike Ishiekwene told Nigeria’s PREMIUM TIMES ,“The military seized our paper in Minna yesterday, Monday; and today, Tuesday. We have no problems in other parts of the country at this time.”
Also affected was the Daily Trust Newspapers who told the paper their Tuesday edition had been confiscated.
On Monday, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) asked President Goodluck Jonathan to institute an inquiry into the campdowns which began Friday and Saturday last week making it harder for several newspaper distributors to distribute their newspapers in Abuja and some parts of the country.
“We do not understand what the defence spokesman and the presidency are saying. We expect a clarification from the government. This, they must do as soon as possible because Nigerians need to know why such military action must take place in a democracy,” the NBA president, Okey Wali said in a statement in Abuja. Wali said clampdown was not democratic and the government gone to the problem instead of using the military to lay siege on the newspapers distributors.
Just today, Kuwaiti ordered two newspapers to stop printing after publishing a secret probe into coup allegations againt the Gulf monarchy’s government.