The Nigerian Army has explained its action against Daily Trust yesterday. The Army,in a statement midnight on Sunday, captioned:
”Clarification on invitation of Media Trust Staff by the security agencies”, by its spokesman, Brigadier General Sani Usman,said the action of the media organisation,contained in its lead story on Sunday Trust publication, undermined national security.
The statement read in full:”The Nigerian Army wishes to clarify on alleged invasion of Media Trust Headquarters in Abuja and regional office in Maiduguri. We would like to state that soldiers of the Nigerian Army along with elements of Nigeria Police Force and other Security Agencies were indeed at Abuja and Maiduguri offices of the publishing company to invite the staff of the company over its lead story on Sunday Trust publication, which divulged classified military information, thus undermining national security.
“In it, the newspaper made disclosed details of planned military operations against the Boko Haram terrorists. “The disclosure of classified security information amounts to a breach of national security and run contrary to Sections 1 and 2 of the Official Secrets Act. It afforded the Boko Haram terrorists prior notice of our plans and giving them early warning to prepare against the Nigerian military, thus sabotaging the planned operations and putting the lives of troops in imminent and clear danger.
“We would like to state that the invitation of those responsible for divulging military plans was done with the best of intention in order to make them realise the import of such acts to our national security. We therefore advice all, particularly journalists, not to worry but engage in their responsive reportage and to be professional as the Nigerian Army has no intention of muzzling the press or jeopardising press freedom.
"We however, wish to enjoin further that they should eschew jeopardizing national security in their reportage. We would not tolerate situation where a publication would consistently side with terrorists and undermine our National institutions. “We wish to appeal to all, especially the media, to join hands with the Nigerian military and security forces to end terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria. We would like to further assure that the invitation is for further investigation and if need be, all those culpable of jeopardising operations security will be prosecuted by the relevant law enforcement agency. “
from Vanguard.
Update -The President has ordered the Military to vacate the three Offices they invaded and dialogue instead.
seen
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The military acted unprofessionally even though I strongly condemned the act of daily trust. There are better ways the military would have gone about this and not making it look as if they are the government on ground. It was unprofessional too for daily trust to have given out such sensitive information to the press as well but again I believe the editor should have been secretly arrested or invited for interrogstion on how he got his information. It shouldn't have been done openly and publicly, and then the military restrategize than acting in a commando manner in an already heated polity in a build up to an election. That was the reason they were called to order.
ReplyDeleteI remember in 2014 towards the end of the year, some newspaper houses in Abuja and KAduna were ransacked by the military for this kind of action. The military has always have meetings with media houses to update and report to them about happenings on the field and other stuffs. And have advised media houses not to disclose relevant information that would lead to exposing the military and lives of people to danger. Daily Trust failed to adhere to these warnings. Not as if there were no previous warnings. People’s lives are in danger and there is need to halt this very foolish act by daily trust.
DeleteIf I am to go with what you said above, why would the military give out information to the press of a planned attack to the insurgents? Of what purposes are they doing that?
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DeleteEditor-in-chief of Daily Trust Newspaper, Mannir Dan Ali, has reacted to the military siege on the offices of his medium nationwide.
He said the siege and subsequent arrest of some editorial staff in Maiduguri Borno state was a targeted attempt by the army to clampdown on the paper for ‘comprehensively’ reporting the many losses and defeats of the military by Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast region.
Speaking with newsmen yesterday, Dan Ali said the military authorities merely latched onto Sunday’s lead report on the newspaper which bore the bold caption: “Military prepares massive operation to retake Baga, others” to accuse the medium of ‘exposing’ the surprise strategy which the military was planning to unleash on the insurgents thereby ‘leaking’ information to the enemies.
“The military is not happy with our reporting of the Baga attacks by Boko Haram and is just using today’s story as an excuse to clamp down on the newspaper,” the Editor-in-Chief said.
However, he assured that the contentious matter of his medium’s coverage style of the anti-terror war in the Northeast was already being resolved by the government.
“Government officials are trying to resolve the matter,” he added.
Recall that shortly after the newspaper hit the streets on Sunday, heavily armed soldiers in several vehicles laid siege to Daily Trust headquarters in Abuja.
For those who are still doubting that Baga wasn't captured by the insurgents, this was how the Punch newspaper puts it.
DeletePunch News Paper
December 31, 2018
Kayode Idowu, Maiduguri
Boko Haram now controls Nigerian land space as the military has been pushed back from Baga and neighboring villages in the Lake Chad axis of Northern Borno State, North East Nigeria, multiple sources and fleeing residents say.
Sources said there were no more military presence in Baga as they were forced to retreat by the rampaging Boko Haram insurgents who attacked their bases on Wednesday, December 26.
True
DeleteIt is clear enough that from the editor-in-chief’s statement that the charges against them by the military is so correct. The paper revealed the Military’s plan to attack BH which is very insensitive of the media house.
DeleteThey have land space control isn’t dominance of territory(ies) and the raising of flags. The BH boys took over the military base in Baga which still have military and Naval presence because it was reported in the same news that the soldiers were still there and attacked the base to make it impossible for the boys to make away with their weapons and ammunition.
How did they get the classified information f not from your moles in Army
ReplyDeleteI wonder
DeleteSo that is a good reason for it to be published?
DeleteClassified indeed
ReplyDeleteNa wa ooooo for this nation. How come they know about the classified information??? Who leaked the information to them?
ReplyDeleteThey should hide their "classified information" better, fish out the informants in their midst and stop disgracing themselves in what is supposed to be a democracy.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.... I comment my reserve
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