Army Raids Media House Over Story, Quizzes Two Managers

SAN FRANCISCO, August 23, (THEWILL) - The Maiduguri Regional Office of the Media Trust, the publishers of Daily Trust newspaper, was raided Thursday by men of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army .

Two managers of the media house were quizzed during the raid over what was considered an unfavourable story on alleged mutiny by troops from the division earlier published by the newspaper alongside other media houses.

About eight soldiers led by the newly deployed spokesman of the 7 Division, Colonel Sani Usman were said to have stormed the newspaper house along Baga road at about 12 noon, asking to see the reporter who filed the story.

The inability of the media house to produce the reporter was said to have infuriated the soldiers who thereafter whisked the Regional Operation Manager, Jamilu Aliyu and the out-going Operational Manager, Aminu Ado, to the division office on the order of the acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the division, Brigadier General M.Y Ibrahim. They were however released about an hour later after interrogation.

Recounting their ordeal, the two officials disclosed that they were threatened by the commander who repeatedly warned the newspaper to stop unnecessary criticisms of the military. A letter signed by the division spokesman, Col. Usman and left at the Maiduguri office of the Daily Trust, warned the newspaper to retract the story or face stiff sanctions . The letter accused the newspaper of been unnecessarily critical of the military without cross-checking its facts with the formation.