Media Rights Agenda (Lagos)
19 August 2008
press release
On 18 August 2008, six men suspected to be operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria's intelligence police, raided the Lagos offices of a private weekly, "National Standard" magazine.
When MRA visited the offices of the weekly, the security guard who witnessed the raid said the SSS operatives demanded to see the circulation manager or any management staff person and, when told none of them was in the office, they tried to force their way in but were prevented from entering into the offices by the guards. However, the men vowed to return.
The raid, according to the magazine's management, is suspected to be in connection with a cover story of the magazine entitled "Turai Yar'Adua: The Secret life of Nigeria's First Lady".
Editor-in-chief Lanre Badmus, reacting to the visit, said "If truly there is rule of law, the necessary authority should call them (the SSS) to order."
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to the authorities:
- asking the operatives of the SSS to cease harassing the staff of "National Standard" magazine
- asking the police to provide security so that the media outlet and its staff can discharge their duties without intimidation
APPEALS TO:
Police Commissioner
Lagos State Police Command, Police Headquarters
Oduduwa Crescent, Off Oba Akinjobi Rd
GRA, Ikeja
Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: +234 1 017745705 / 7745702; +234 0 8023127351 6
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
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This constitutes a violation to freedom of speech. If the FOI bill is not passed then no journalist have the freedom to speak in the country.Writing about the president's wife is not illegal as many other countries do this without reprimand. Why is Nigeria different. the word "the guilty is always afraid" fits the govt. of Nigeria. The Govt. dont want us to know what they do behinde close doors, and yet they want to keep it's citizens in police state. This can not happen in a country where democracy is new.