Nigeria: Nine senior journalists suspended

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT - NIGERIA

27 January 2004

Nine senior journalists suspended

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:

On 21 January 2004, the management of the state-owned Ondo State Radiovision
Corporation (OSRC), in southwestern Nigeria, suspended nine senior
journalists for an indefinite period of time.

The affected journalists include news director Seinde Omokoba and his
deputy, Sanya Adeleye. The others are Taiwo Fagbuyi, Akinwale Oshodi,
Franklin Olaleye, Daisi Ajayi, Remi Olagookun, Daiso Ifaleyimu and Bola
Akinrunjomo, all of whom hold various positions as editors, reporters and
newscasters.

The suspension letters, which were signed by OSRC board chairman Clement
Adebambo, accused the journalists of "dereliction of duty."

In a telephone interview, however, Oshodi told MFWA-Nigeria that the
journalists were suspended for giving prominent airtime to an aborted strike
over increases in petroleum product prices, which had been planned by the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for 21 January.

According to MFWA-Nigeria sources, State Governor Olusegun Agagu, who was
furious about the reports, summoned the OSRC board chairman and the state
commissioner for information, Tola Aworh, to a meeting, where they were
severely reprimanded. Following the meeting, the corporation's management
decided to suspend the nine journalists, allegedly for "dereliction of
duty."

The MFWA and MISA are appalled by this blatant show of political
intolerance. The obvious victimisation of the affected journalists amounts
to interference in the OSRC's editorial independence and belies the alleged
support for media freedom and freedom of expression in Nigeria. The
organisations call on the OSRC's management to immediately and
unconditionally reinstate the nine journalists without further prejudice.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to President Olusegun Obasanjo:
- protesting the conduct of the Ondo state governor and the OSRC management

APPEALS TO:

H. E. Olusegun Obasanjo
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock
Abuja, Nigeria
Internet: www.nopa.net/Citizen_s_Corner/opinion.html

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Zoé 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 action alert is the sole responsibility of
MISA. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
MISA.
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