Nigeria: Journalist told to leave state
Bassey Inyang, a correspondent for the "Daily Independent" newspaper in Cross River state, has been ordered to leave the state by the Cross River State House of Assembly. Inyang was given seven days to leave, as of 30 October 2003. According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)-Nigeria, the House of Assembly claimed that an article published in the 24 October edition of the newspaper, entitled "Bribery Scandal Rocks River Assembly", was false.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - NIGERIA
6 November 2003
Journalist ordered to leave state, newspaper told to apologise and retract
story
SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek
**MISA and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), as a joint activity,
will henceforth issue alerts, statements and appeals to highlight media
freedom and wider human rights violations in West Africa. See www.misa.org
and www.mediafoundationwa.org for more information**
(MISA/IFEX) - The following is a joint MISA-MFWA alert:
Bassey Inyang, a correspondent for the "Daily Independent" newspaper in
Cross River state, has been ordered to leave the state by the Cross River
State House of Assembly. Inyang was given seven days to leave, as of 30
October 2003.
According to MFWA-Nigeria, the House of Assembly claimed that an article
published in the 24 October edition of the newspaper, entitled "Bribery
Scandal Rocks River Assembly", was false.
The House of Assembly also issued an ultimatum to the "Daily Independent",
giving the newspaper seven days to publish an apology and retract the story
or face court action.
The newspaper reported that some House of Assembly members had allegedly
each demanded and received N400,000 (approx. US$2,700) from eight of the 12
serving commissioners in the state.
In a statement signed by House of Assembly Media Liaison Officer Felix
Ibiang, the assembly demanded that the apology and retraction be published
on the front page of the newspaper and that it also be carried in at least
five other national dailies within seven days.
MISA and MFWA urge the House of Assembly to rescind the decision to expel
the journalist. The organisations also appeal to the assembly to exercise
tolerance and refrain from acts that intimidate the media.
For further information, contact Zoe Titus, Program Coordinator, Media
Freedom Monitoring, MISA, Street Address: 21 Johann Albrecht Street, Mailing
Address; Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia, tel: +264 61 232 975, fax:
+264 61 248 016, e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.misa.org,
or Kwame Karikari, Executive Director, Media Foundation for West Africa, P.
O. Box LG 730, Legon, Ghana, tel: +233 21 24 24 70, fax: +233 21 22 10 84,
e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.mediafoundationwa.org
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of MISA.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit MISA.
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