Media & freedom of expression

nigeria: JOURNALIST ARRESTED BY POLICE

2003-09-11, Issue 123

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/media/16930

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The Bureau Chief of The Source magazine in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's delta region, Mr. Lawson Heyford, was arrested on August 23, 2003 by police detectives. Sources said his arrest may not be unconnected with stories he wrote on a communal clash in July in Ataba town, in the Delta region, during which many persons were killed and houses destroyed.

MEDIA IN NIGERIA #02 - 33 (01 SEPTEMBER 2003)

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MEDIA IN NIGERIA is a weekly publication on developments within and
affecting the media/communication/freedom of expression sector in Nigeria.

It is an initiative of the Institute for Media and Society (IMS), a
non-profit,
non-governmental organization based in Lagos, Nigeria.
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NEWS

MEDIA - GENERAL
-JOURNALIST ARRESTED BY POLICE
-JOURNALIST BRUTALISED BY SECURITY OPERATIVES
-ISLAMIC GROUP DISSOCIATES FROM FATWA ON JOURNALIST
-DELTA GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DARAH AS SPECIAL ADVISER

PRINT MEDIA
-NATIONAL LIGHT GET N30M LIFELINE

BROADCAST MEDIA
-NBC RE-OPENS RADIO, TV STATIONS
-UNILAG RADIO STARTS BROADCAST IN DECEMBER

INFOTECH
-GSM OPERATORS AGREE ON TARIFF CUT
-GOVERNMENT SET E-GOVERNMENT DEADLINE

ADVERTISING
-OAAN TO DE-REGIDTER DEBTOR MEMBERS

ANNOUNCEMENT
-JOB VACANCIES AT NCC



MEDIA - GENERAL

JOURNALIST ARRESTED BY POLICE

The Bureau Chief of The Source magazine in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's delta
region, Mr. Lawson Heyford, was arrested on August 23, 2003 by police
detectives.

Sources said his arrest may not be unconnected with stories he wrote on a
communual clash in July in Ataba town, in the Delta region, during which
many persons were killed and houses destroyed.

According to The Punch, one of Nigeria's leading daily newspapers, Heyford
has been transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID)
where he is still being detained.

The police have not given any explanation for his arrest and detention.


JOURNALIST BRUTALISED BY SECURITY OPERATIVES

A photo journalist with the Daily Independent newspaper, Akintunde Akinleye,
was brutalized in Lagos on August 30, by security aides of Vice President
Atiku Abubakar.

The incident occurred at the coronation ceremonies of a traditional king,
Oba Rilwan Akiolu, in central Lagos, Nigeria's commercial Capital.

Trouble started when Akinleye, along with his colleagues, struggled to take
photographs of the Vice President as he arrived the venue of the Ceremony.

His camera flash was broken by one of the mobile policemen, while another
security detail began to hit him with the butt of his gun. Other security
operatives at the scene soon joined in beating him.

The journalist fell and fainted. He was later revived in the hospital.


ISLAMIC GROUP DISSOCIATES FROM FATWA ON JOURNALIST

A group of Islamic clergy in South-west Nigeria, The League of Imams and
Alfas, has distanced itself from the confirmation of the death sentence
(fatwa) placed on former THISDAY's reporter, Miss Isioma Daniel, by the
Islamic body, Jama'atu Nasrul -Islam (JNI), over an alleged blamephemous
article she wrote last year.

According to a story in the Vanguard newspaper, the league said the action
of JNI was capable of heating up the system and destabilizing the nation.

The group also said that since the reporter and the newspaper organization
had apologized to the entire muslim community, they deserved to be pardoned.


DELTA GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DARAH AS SPECIAL ADVISER

The Delta State Government has announced the appointment of former Chairman
of The Guardian editorial board, Professor Godini Gabriel Darah, as Special
Adviser on Public Communications to Governor James Ibori.

Until the new appointment, Darah was the Head of Department of English and
Literary Studies at Delta State University, Abraka.

The appointment takes immediate effect.



PRINT MEDIA

NATIONAL LIGHT GET N30m LIFELINE

The Anambra State Government, south-east Nigeria, has given N30 million to
its newspaper company, National Light, to enable it function effectively.

Information Commissioner, Joe Ofokansi, said in Awka, the state capital,
that the amount, a soft loan, was being paid instalmentally at N5million
monthly.

He said the government would stop the gesture after six months when the
organization should have been able to stabilize and operate independently.



BROADCAST MEDIA

NBC RE-OPENS RADIO, TV STATIONS

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), broadcast regulatory body, on
August 23 re-opened the Benin City - based Independent Radio and Television
which were shut down for allegedly violating some broadcasting codes.

Both stations were earlier shut by the NBC on the claim that they had played
martial music, which created panic in the coverage areas of the stations, as
people thought there was a coup d'etat. It said the action violated its
codes.

However, the management of the stations later wrote to the NBC to explain
that it only played classical music to mourn its former Director of News,
Mr. Abbe Jarikre, who died in an auto crash that day.

Meanwhile, the NBC has asked each station to employ preview staff to monitor
its programmes before going on air.

UNILAG RADIO STARTS BROADCAST IN DECEMBER

The radio station of the University of Lagos, UNILAG Radio, will start
operations in December this year.

The University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Oye Ibidapo- Obe, said on August
27 that the station will transmit on 101.3 of the Frequency Modulation
Wave.

He said the university had ordered for transmitters and that an antenna
would shortly be brought to the campus from the regulatory body, the
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Prof. Ibidapo Obe revealed that the university had already advertised
internally for key staff to serve as station manager and editors, stressing
that the reason for looking inward in the recruitment of key technical staff
is for budget considerations.



INFOTECH

GSM OPERATORS AGREE ON TARIFF CUT

Subscribers of Global System of Mobile (GSM) telephony in Nigeria may soon
begin to smile if operators make good their promise at an August 28 meeting
with President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abuja.

Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mrs. Remi Oyo, said
after the meeting that the four GSM Operators - MTN, Econet, NITEL and
Globacom- had agreed to improve their services and reduce tariff.

She said President Obasanjo conveyed his grave concern over the quality of
services, the frustrations of Nigerians, particularly on the high tarrifs
and the fact that there are dropped calls.






GOVERNMENT SETS E- GOVERNANCE DEADLINE

The federal government plans to commence e-governance in 2008, Vice
President Atiku Abubakar has said.

Speaking at the launch of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) website in
Abuja on August 25, Abubakar said that the Federal Government recognized the
role of information technology in modern business and public administration
and was therefore prepared to squarely face the challenges.

"Government will continue to support the introduction of on-line System to
all government services and we are determined that, by 2008, most government
services would be accessible on-line", he said.



ADVERTISING

OAAN TO DE-REGISTER DEBTOR MEMBERS

The Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) has given its debtor
members up till the end of August 2003 to pay up their dues or face
de-registration. OAAN specifically expressed concern over members who owe
the association up to two years' annual financial obligation.

OAAN President, Mr. Ipoola Omisore, said in a statement that an emergency
executive council meeting of the association had reached a decision that all
defaulting members risked being ostracized in all ramifications.

He said that the association could no longer cope with some of its members
who had become non-financial and dormant, adding that it was part of
measures being employed to sanitise the profession.

He said that the proposed de-listing had become necessary because the
association could no longer harbour in its midst members who had become
"financial deadwoods" and OAAN saw it as showing flagrant disregard for
Article 10 section A of the OAAN constitution.



ANNOUNCEMENT

JOB VACANCIES AT NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is seeking qualified candidates
for the following positions in the NCC Telecommunications Training
Institute.

· Director
· Manager. Business Development and Marketing
· Manager, Education and Curriculum Development
· Manager, Administration and Finance
· Manager, Multimedia, Technology and Engineering.

The Institute will be operational in January 2004. All interested
applicants should send an application letter, a resume (CV) and other
appropriate materials via e-mail to:

The Search Committee
NCC Telecom Training Institute
c/o The Executive Vice Chairman
NCC

E-mail: Ndukwe@ncc.gov.ng
cc: Professor Raymond Akwule

E-mail: rakwule@afcomnet.com

Note: Interviews for these positions are planned for Washington DC
(September 5 and 6), Atlanta (September 8 and 9), San Francisco (September
11 & 12), London (September 15 & 16), Abuja (later in September after the US
and UK interviews).



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