Tag: Newspapers

A detachment of gun-wielding soldiers from the Sobi Cantonment on Saturday stormed the popular Oniyangi newspaper distribution centre, along Emir’s road in Ilorin, to stop the circulation of The Nation newspapers in Kwara state.

It was gathered that some soldiers had early hours of  Saturday impounded  the van conveying copies of the newspaper to the state in Ogere, Ogun state, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Armed soldier had also of Friday stormed the same centre looking for some newspapers they claimed they had orders ‘from above’ to seize

The operation also extended to other parts of the metropolis as nearly all the distribution vans conveying Saturday’s edition of several newspapers were stopped at Eiyenkorin area or on the Ilorin-Ogbomosho expressway. The drivers of the vans were detained and their phones seized.  

The driver who drove a consignment of The Nation newspaper and that of The Sun were still being detained by the soldiers beside the road as at 4.00pm.

The soldiers who came to the centre on Saturday in a patrol van with an inscription “Operation Harmony” as early as 5am, stationed their vehicles in front of The Nation office very opposite the distribution centre in the state capital.

Vehicles that plied the Emir’s Road axis of the metropolis were thoroughly searched by the fierce looking soldiers, apparently looking for copies of The Nation newspapers.

The soldiers, it was gathered did not leave the centre until around 2pm .

A avid reader of The Nation newspaper described the action repressive, anachronistic and a throwback to military era.

About 70 soldiers in military uniforms stormed Oke-Padre area of Ibadan, home of newspapers distribution, harassing and assaulting newspapers’ distributors and vendors who came to their offices early Friday morning.

The targets, our correspondent gathered were The Nation newspapers and the company’s staff who had to seek refuge elsewhere after they were told the soldiers’ mission.

But the office was sealed, while editorial staff complained of attempt by some unnamed persons to trick them into the soldiers’ hands by offering advert placement s through phone calls.

Already, a circulation van belonging to The Nation was impounded for several hours on Ogunpa Bridge by soldiers who were still holding the vehicle and its driver, Ibrahim hostage.

Ibrahim’s phone, The Nation’s identity card and some cash were forcefully taken from him by the soldiers.

Aside The Nation Van, The Vanguard distribution van was also seized. The two vehicles were impounded on the same spot by the soldiers.

Our correspondent gathered that other newspapers that arrived early such as The Guardian, The Punch and The Sun were hurriedly taken away by the distributors to an undisclosed location where the papers were distributed to vendors unnoticed by the soldiers.

The Chairman, Oyo state branch of Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Abimbola, described the clampdown of media houses as retrogressive and attempt to stifle freedom of press as guaranteed under the constitution.

He alleged that the soldiers assaulted members his association without just cause, saying the government must end harassment and assault on media practitioners if it wants to succeed.