- Title: NIGERIA: Nigeria's defence ministry responds to media crackdown claims
- Date: 9th June 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (JUNE 09, 2014) (REUTERS) MILITARY OFFICIALS ARRIVING VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS SEATED VARIOUS OF DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, CHRIS OLUKOLADE, SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, CHRIS OLUKOLADE, SAYING: "We have said it repeatedly: the military has no problem with the media and will not, for whatever reason, hamper the activities of the media. However, we call for understanding of all Nigerians about the peculiarity of the situation we are facing. This is terrorism. One of the things terrorism seems to impose on the society is discomfort and in such an atmosphere, all of us are facing it together and whatever checks you see is not aimed at disturbing the business of the media." VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS CAMERAMEN FILMING VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, CHRIS OLUKOLADE, SAYING: "What we have been doing are checks, they are security checks that is informed by intelligence reports of the need to enhance our safety by preventing the use of that channel to convey anything that will be of danger to the rest of us." VARIOUS OF NEWS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS OFFICIALS LEAVING AT END OF NEWS BRIEFING
- Embargoed: 24th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA2H1M8L9HGJMDTW9EMCSN8VDVQ
- Story Text: Nigeria's defence ministry denied on Monday (June 9) that it was limiting press freedoms, after being accused of launching a crackdown on the media.
Three Nigerian newspapers said the army had seized parts of their Friday (June 6) print-runs and stopped distribution vans across the country.
The Punch, a widely-read daily, reported on its website that distribution of its edition and other newspapers had been disrupted at Lagos airport and other hubs in moves "reminiscent of military dictatorship in the country".
Staff from The Nation and Leadership papers told Reuters some of their vans had also been halted without explanation.
The ministry of defence said soldiers had searched a number of vehicles for unspecified sensitive material that it had heard was being transported with the newsprint, but insisted it had no intention of stopping the newspapers themselves.
"We have said it repeatedly: the military has no problem with the media and will not, for whatever reason, hamper the activities of the media. However, we call for understanding of all Nigerians about the peculiarity of the situation we are facing. This is terrorism. One of the things terrorism seems to impose on the society is discomfort and in such an atmosphere, all of us are facing it together and whatever checks you see is not aimed at disturbing the business of the media," said defence ministry spokesman, Chris Olukolade.
He said security checks were essential, given the threat from a mounting Islamist insurgency in the country.
"What we have been doing are checks, they are security checks that is informed by intelligence reports of the need to enhance our safety by preventing the use of that channel to convey anything that will be of danger to the rest of us," said Olukolade.
Nigeria came out of years of military dictatorship in 1999 and is now widely-admired for its outspoken free press, with columnists and cartoonists regularly lambasting leading figures including President Goodluck Jonathan himself.
The army has faced particularly harsh criticism for its handling of the insurgency in the northeast and its efforts to free more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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