Nigerian government attacks PREMIUM TIMES, SaharaReporters over reports on security operations

Nigerian government attacks PREMIUM TIMES, SaharaReporters over reports on security operations
The Nigerian government on Friday launched a vicious attack on PREMIUM TIMES and news website, SaharaReporters, accusing the two publications of publishing reports capable of undermining military strategy against extremists, and stirring mutiny within the military.
But in a swift reaction, PREMIUM TIMES described the administration’s attack as a desperate plot to blackmail and intimidate it from performing its sacred duty and role of holding government and its officials accountable.
Information Minister, Labaran Maku, spoke of the Federal Government’s “utmost displeasure” with some online media reportage of military operations, but singled out the two publications, apparently, in response to a series of factual reports by PREMIUM TIMES, exposing the government’s neglect of Nigerian troops in Mali, as well as the violations by security forces confronting Boko Haram’s brutal insurgency.
“In particular, I refer to Sahara Reporters and Premium Times, both of which frequently publish online reports deliberately contrived to undermine military strategy, demoralise our troops, or even cause incitement to mutiny. This is unacceptable,” said Mr. Maku, who also supervises the Defence Ministry, after the sack of the former minister.
He gave the remarks in Osogbo, Osun state, where he attended the 44th National Council on Information on the theme “Social Media and Public Information Management”.
The comment was later emailed to news organizations, including PREMIUM TIMES, in a statement signed by his aide, Joseph Mutah.
Coming amid a raging controversy over a military operation in Apo, Abuja last week, that killed at least seven men authorities claim were terrorists, but who witnesses say were innocent and unarmed citizens, Mr. Maku’s statement appeared to reflect the frustration that the case has triggered within government circles.
PREMIUM TIMES has maintained a lead role in reporting the bloody raid, contradicting official position of events, based on multiple interviews and painstaking checking and cross-checking of facts with survivors of the attack, residents and witnesses.
The army and the Department of State Security (DSS) that carried out the bloody raid say operatives they arrived at the building to excavate hidden weapons, but were greeted by heavy gunfire.
Army chief, Azubuike Ihejirika, told the House of Representatives committee on Public Safety and National Security on Thursday that the operatives only returned fire in self-defence.
The House and the Senate as well as National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are currently conducting separate investigations into the killings.
After its initial reporting exposing the contradictions in the government’s claim, PREMIUM TIMES exposed a plan by the security community to plant weapons and other evidences at the scene of the attack, a report that embarrassed many government officials.
That plan was hurriedly shelved after the report, our sources said, giving a hint at government’s discomfort with PREMIUM TIMES’ incisive publications.
Authorities had long demonstrated their uneasiness with this website’s reports, occasionally harassing its reporters at news events.
Government spokespersons have also constantly fumed at the paper’s objective and independent stance on national issues.
Prior to the Apo attack, government’s concern was about our reporting on the military’s neglect of Nigerian troops in Mali, and the abuses against civilians by troops hunting for Boko Haram fighters in Borno and Yobe states.
In one recent attack reported by PREMIUM TIMES, a last minute cancellation of the operational plan that required the use of aerial support literally handed over troops in the hands of militants for slaughter. Dozens were killed, while many more were, and still, missing.
For each news article, PREMIUM TIMES reporters consistently reach out to the appropriate authorities for a response, which when provided, are always adequately reflected in the article for balance.
But, Mr. Maku said the Defence Headquarters had repeatedly complained about what the government regarded as ‘inciting online reports’, which it said ‘undermined military operations, emboldened terrorists, and stirred the people against security forces.’
The statement did not, however, specifically deny any of the reports.
Mr. Maku said the government believed in media freedom and would not gag any medium, although he maintained there has to be some forms of regulation on the use social media for reporting.
He said the Federal Government was drafting a bill on Cyber Crime, to be tabled before the National Assembly for deliberation.
Reacting to Mr. Maku’s comments, PREMIUM TIMES’ Managing Editor, Musikilu Mojeed, said the paper had always exhibited a great deal of professionalism and discretion in its reporting, and would continue to do so while upholding the people’s right to know.
“We will continue to expose what the government does not want readers to know no matter whose ox is gored,” Mr. Mojeed said. “We love Nigeria far more than the likes of Mr. Maku and care even more about the welfare and security of our soldiers whose lives Mr. Maku’s government jeopardise when they refuse to act right and provide basic and essential necessities for them to function.
“We will continue to expose the corruption, ineptitude and human rights abuses in private and public institutions in our country. That much we owe our teeming readers in general and the Nigerian people in particular. They deserve to have the information they need to enable them know what is going on in the innermost recess of our government, and we will continue to provide them information they can rely on to make objective decisions. We will remain focused and will never succumb to this latest tactics to intimidate and cow us.”

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