House Condemns Military’s Clampdown On Media!

The Lagos State House of Assembly has slammed the Nigerian government and its military over the latter’s current clampdown on media and vendors across the country, arguing that the harassment is a bring back of the dark days of the military.

Members of the House reminded those intimidating the press that even the late Sani Abacha, an acclaimed powerful dictator, could not win the fight against the press.

Reacting to a motion moved on the floor of the House by Moshood Oshun, a member representing Lagos Mainland Constituency 2, the House argued that President Goodluck Jonathan being the Commander-In-Chief of the nation cannot exonerate himself  from the military’s action against the press.

Oshun, who moved the motion as a Matter of Urgent Public Importance, told his colleagues that as reported, agents of the Federal Government had constantly seized copies of newspapers meant for distribution to several parts of the country over alleged trivial matters.

He said there have been reports that distributors and vendors were beaten up and detained and argued that the seizure of the newspapers were meant to kill the press.

“If the Federal Government feels bad about any report, it should go to a court rather than harass, beat and detain newspaper vendors, who don’t even know how the reports in the newspapers were written.

“It is wrong for the government to seize newspaper copies at this material time in the country,” he said.

Reacting, Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji said that it was not possible to kill the press and not even the military could do so.

“If they don’t allow the press to publish openly, the press would go underground and still publish. There is no way the Federal Government can kill the press. They should bring back our girls and fight Boko Haram instead of fighting the press,” he said.

Another lawmaker, Rotimi Olowo, expressed surprise at the action of the military and described it as an abuse of office under a democratic government.

 He also called on the House to make the Federal Government realise that the nation is no longer under a military system of government.

Also contributing, Segun Olulade from Epe Constituency 2, warned the Federal Government to be careful with its actions.

He added that terrorising the media is as bad as the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect that has caused much violence in the country.

Olulade stated that the seizure of newspapers copies and intimidation of the pressmen is unwarranted and condemnable, and that the National Assembly should rise and speak up against it.

For Mudashiru Obasa, “the military men that ought to fight the Boko Haram insurgents are fighting the press. President Goodluck Jonathan wants to use this method to kill the press. If you kill the press, anything could happen; we should be vigilant against this administration.”

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