The Ordeal Of the Insiders

By Geoffrey Ekenna
Monday, December 01, 2003

Three editors of Insider magazine detained on allegations of false publication

The quest for freedom of information and a free media in Nigeria suffered a big set-back when Osa Director, editor-in-chief; Chucks Onwudinjo and Janet Mba-Afolabi, both executive editors of Insider, a weekly magazine, were picked up by men of the State Security Services last week. The arrest and detention were on the orders of Atiku Abubakar, the vice-president. They were arrested on Monday, November 24.

While the nation enjoyed Ed-el-fitri public holiday, the trio cooled their heels at the Panti Police Station in Yaba, Lagos where they were detained for a story the Insider ran in its November 24 edition titled Aso Rock Oil Bunkering Scandal. Atiku, Gusau Linked, 8 Arrested Ships to Be Destroyed. The story, which made the magazine's cover alleged that Abubakar and Aliu Gusau, national security adviser were behind a bunkering ring recently smashed at the Forcados and Escravos Creeks.

Specifically, Atiku was accused of being behind three of the vessels, MT Glorai. MT Tina and MT Sara, which had about 4,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, while Gusau was allegedly linked to two vessels, MT Berinelo and MT Breton 1 with 17,800 metric tonnes. The eight ships captured in the bunkering deal collectively had about 124 million barrels valued at N35 billion.

The story also mentioned the popular Malabu Oil scandal involving Atiku and President Olusegun Obasanjo. The three journalists were granted bail by a chief magistrate's court, Yaba last week, on the intervention of Festus Keyamo, their counsel. They were given a three-count charge of conspiracy to publish sedition, seditious publication and criminal defamation.

The SSS accused them and others at large of maligning the persons of the vice- president and the national security adviser. The journalists pleaded not guilty.

It was particularly a sad experience for Mba-Afolabi, nursing mother. She could not hide her anxiety to get home to take care of her new baby. " It has been like hell," she told Newswatch.

Funke Fadugba, chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council, who visited the detained journalist decried the subtle muzzling of the press by the people in power. Fadugba regretted that the press which fought to enthrone democracy in Nigeria, was gradually becoming the casualty of democracy with the rising cases of abuse and brutalisation of journalists by government officials.

Only on August 30, security officials attached to the vice-president attacked and beat into coma, Akintunde Akinleye, a photo-journalist with the Daily Independent newspaper. It was at the coronation of Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, in Lagos. He was recently compensated in a face-saving mission by the vice president. He received $1,900 and N56,287.00 cash.