Why Army Took Over Newspaper Vans Exposed, 70 Soldiers Storm Ibadan To Seize Newspapers

                             

Odogwuemekaodogwu.com reports that the seizure of newspaper vans Friday by the military was not unconnected to President Goodluck Jonathan’s advise to the media to desist from celebrating terrorists in their reports.

Jonathan who spoke in Abuja at a book launch titled: “What they don’t teach you in broadcasting” written by Orji Ogbonnaya Orji said terrorists should not be motivated by reports on them to keep engaging in their violent acts.

 

The President who was represented by Minister of Information, Labaran Maku said  though the public should be informed of happenings in the society, terrorist should not be given undue attention.

Terrorist, according to Jonathan “” need publicity to be recognized and they depend on the media but they do not deserve the type of publicity the media is giving them.”

He said reports on terrorism should not be written to incite the people against one another, religion, and the government but should in  a way unite the people  to fight the terrorists.

Jonathan said the government was doing its best to curb the menace of insurgency but  noted that  “the problem we are facing is that these insurgents live with us.”

“The media should sensitize the public with their reports so that they can unite and fish them out thereby bring terrorism to an end quickly. I am not saying that you shouldn’t report when there are, say, terrorists’ attacks on innocent citizens but we must report from the point of view of arousing society to reject their message, to unite society against what they are doing.

“I am still calling on all of us to be able define the thin line that exists between the urge to report and the need to protect. We need to really come to a definition of what the responsibility of the media should be to organizations and persons whose major objective is to destroy society, to incite hatred among normal people. I have said it that if we black out terrorism for a period, I am sure it will go down,” the President stated.

Jonathan added that terrorism and related activities could only be tackled effectively if all segments of society, particularly the media join forces against it.

Author of the book, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said there were lots in the broadcast world which lecturers in institutions didn’t teach the students while they were in school.

According to him, there are reports dished out by reporters that could make the public loose confidence in them.

He said the book will educate reporters on better ways to carry out their jobs and gain the confidence of their audience, adding that the book is an intervention towards restoring the falling standards in the broadcast industry.

Mr. Orji urged the media to support security agencies and unite Nigerians in the fight against terrorists.

Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Abubakar Jijiwa recommended the book for broadcasters and students of mass communication so that they would be kept abreast of what they need to know about the profession outside what they were taught in the classroom.

Meanwhile, about 70 soldiers in military uniforms stormed Oke-Padre area of Ibadan, home of newspapers distribution, harassing and assaulting newspapers’ distributors and vendors who came to their offices early Friday morning.

The targets, our correspondent gathered were The Nation newspapers and the company’s staff who had to seek refuge elsewhere after they were told the soldiers’ mission.

But the office was sealed, while editorial staff complained of attempt by some unnamed persons to trick them into the soldiers’ hands by offering advert placement s through phone calls.

Already, a circulation van belonging to The Nation was impounded for several hours on Ogunpa Bridge by soldiers who were still holding the vehicle and its driver, Ibrahim hostage.

Ibrahim’s phone, The Nation’s identity card and some cash were forcefully taken from him by the soldiers.

Aside The Nation Van, The Vanguard distribution van was also seized. The two vehicles were impounded on the same spot by the soldiers.

Our correspondent gathered that other newspapers that arrived early such as The Guardian, The Punch and The Sun were hurriedly taken away by the distributors to an undisclosed location where the papers were distributed to vendors unnoticed by the soldiers.

The Chairman, Oyo state branch of Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Abimbola, described the clampdown of media houses as retrogressive and attempt to stifle freedom of press as guaranteed under the constitution.

He alleged that the soldiers assaulted members his association without just cause, saying the government must end harassment and assault on media practitioners if it wants to succeed.