Nigeria: CPJ Calls for Release of Two Imprisoned Journalists

[Richard Akindele]

Two journalists have been imprisoned in Nigeria's southeastern Ebonyi state since June 14 on charges of sedition linked to an article criticizing the state governor, the Committee to Protect Journalists has confirmed.

Imo Eze and Oluwole Elenyinmi, respectively director and editor of the local bimonthly Ebonyi Voice, have remained in detention because of virtually impossible bail conditions, according to their lawyer and an official of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). They are due to appear in court August 15 in the state capital Abakiliki.

"The continued prosecution of journalists is undermining Nigeria's democratic credentials," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "We call on federal and Ebonyi state authorities to ensure that Imo Eze and Oluwole Elenyinmi are released immediately, and that all criminal charges against them are dropped."

Eze and Elenyinmi were charged with sedition, defamation, and conspiracy in connection with an April 16 article accusing Ebonyi State Governor Sam Ominyi Egwu of corruption and mismanagement, according to several local sources. The prosecutor called the allegations false and designed to tarnish the governor's image and "expose him to hatred."

A magistrate set bail at 50,000 naira (US$400) but also required that a civil servant of the rank of Permanent Secretary living within the court's jurisdiction personally guarantee that the defendants would appear for their hearing. Local journalists said it would be almost impossible to find a permanent secretary to make such a pledge because such civil servants are selected and employed by the state government.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists has taken up the case, NUJ National Secretary Usman Leman told CPJ. NUJ President Adagene Akwu recently visited Ebonyi state and met with the governor to press for the release of the two journalists.

CPJ has documented an increase in harassment of the media in Nigeria in the run-up to elections scheduled for 2007. In June, two television journalists were imprisoned over an article about President Olusegun Obasanjo's jet. They were charged with sedition and released on bail.

Committee to Protect Journalists.

[Richard Akindele]

This is precisely why Nigeria is so unbelievably corrupt.

Criticizing leaders is what is needed to keep them on the straight and narrow path. Without journalists questioning the actions of these leaders, they basically have carte blanc to do whatever they want. And as they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

We sometimes wonder why Nigeria is such a backward nation. We wonder why in spite of our enormous wealth, the nation is still dirt poor. Well, one of the reasons is because there is no freedom of speech. Journalists are being oppressed and their voices being suppressed.

The office of the governor should be transparent in all it's actions. If there's anyhthing a governor has done wrong, then the media should be able to alert the public to it without fear of reprisal from the government.

I'll be the first to admit that some journalists' reports are inaccurate, or even outright lies. But, there are better, more civilized methods of dealing with such situations besides crude detentions.

If a journalist's report amounts to libel or slander against a governor, then the proper step to take would be to sue such a journalist in a court of law.

Any society that clamps down on freedom of speech, will end up with a corrupt system. Which is what Nigeria is.

Nigeria, change your crude laws if you want to move the nation forward. After all, democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people, not government of the leaders, by the leaders, for the leaders.

The leaders work for the people of Nigeria. Not the other way around. Therefore, our leaders need to play their role of servant judiciously.