IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE/ALERT - NIGERIA

28 August 2003

CPJ condemns harassment of journalist

SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 27 August 2003 CPJ press release:

NIGERIA: CPJ condemns harassment of journalist

New York, August 27, 2003-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
condemns recent attempts by the House of Assembly in Nigeria's Akwa Ibom
state to expel journalist Haruna Acheneje from the state, which is located
on the country's southern coast. Acheneje is a correspondent based in Uyo,
Akwa Ibom's capital, for the national daily The Punch.

On August 11, The Punch ran an article by Acheneje titled "Lawmakers protest
non-payment of allowances." The article was based on a series of interviews
conducted by Acheneje with House of Assembly members.

The next day, Acheneje received a letter signed by the Speaker of the House,
asking him to appear before the House on August 14, according to Acheneje.
Acheneje told CPJ that he replied to the letter in writing, requesting that
the House contact his head office in Nigeria's capital, Lagos.

On August 14, the House of Assembly passed a resolution to expel Acheneje
from the state. The journalist told CPJ that he learned of the resolution
when it was broadcast on state radio. According to Acheneje and his
colleagues at The Punch, the newspaper's Lagos office received a letter on
August 15, stating that the journalist had seven days to leave Akwa Ibom.

On August 21, three men arrived at The Punch's Uyo office, demanding to
speak to Acheneje, according to the journalist and his colleagues at the
newspaper. Acheneje's colleagues later told him that they could see pistols
protruding from the men's back pockets. Acheneje's assistant told the men
that he was not there, and, when the men left the office, Acheneje called
the police.

The police have provided Acheneje with an armed guard who accompanies him
during the day and patrols his house at night. Acheneje and his colleagues
at The Punch fear that the journalist may become the target of further
attempts at intimidation and reprisal.

"This absurd expulsion order against Acheneje is a clear attempt to stifle
critical reporting and an abuse of power by Akwa Ibom's House of Assembly,"
said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information about press
conditions in Nigeria, visit www.cpj.org.

For further information, contact Adam Posluns (ext. 107) at CPJ, 330 Seventh
Ave., New York, NY 10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465
9568, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected], Internet:
http://www.cpj.org/

The information contained in this press release/alert is the sole
responsibility of CPJ. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit CPJ.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Suite 403,Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail: [email protected]
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
_________________________________________________________________