by Akan Ido

The Nigerian Army has vowed to continue its clampdown on the media until it is satisfied that its activities does not pose a threat to the already deteriorating security situation in the country.

The military said the clampdown on newspapers distribution networks in the country was as a result of intelligence report received which indicate that circulating vehicles are being used to convey arms and ammunition across the country.

According to the Army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, the action should be considered as one of the sacrifices needed to be made to ensure the safety of lives and property against the onslaught of insurgents who are bent on fomenting trouble.

Olukolade who is the Director, Defence Information spoke yesterday in Lagos while featuring on the African Independent Television programme, Focus Nigeria.

He denied reports that the drivers of the media circulation vehicles were being detained and that newspapers were being confiscated.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress has said that the ongoing harassment of media houses in the guise of searching for dangerous materials was unacceptable under democratic governance.

The President of the NLC, Abdulwahed Omar, said the “seizure of newspapers, arrest of circulation drivers of several newspaper publishing companies as well as depriving the reading public access to information by operatives of the Nigerian military and other security agencies is absolutely unacceptable and clearly out of place in any democratic society” in an electronic mail on Tuesday.

He challenged the military to provide evidence of the involvement of the media in the violence and killings in the country.

“There is an urgent need to prove the culpability of the news media in the ongoing violent attacks against people and critical facilities in Nigeria,” Omar said.