Why We Invaded Daily Trust Offices- Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has explained that the offices of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust in Maiduguri and Abuja were raided on Sunday because the newspaper divulged classified military information, thus undermining national security.

In a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, on Sunday evening, the Army said that soldiers, along with men of the Nigeria Police Force and other Security Agencies, were at the Abuja and Maiduguri offices of the publishing company to invite its staff over the lead story on its Sunday Trust publication.

According to the statement, the newspaper made disclosed details of planned military operations against the Boko Haram terrorists.

“The disclosure of classified security information amounts to a breach of national security and run contrary to Sections 1 and 2 of the Official Secrets Act.

“It afforded the Boko Haram terrorists prior notice of our plans and giving them early warning to prepare against the Nigerian military, thus sabotaging the planned operations and putting the lives of troops in imminent and clear danger.

The full statement reads:

CLARIFICATION ON INVITATION OF MEDIA TRUST STAFF BY THE SECURITY AGENCIES

The Nigerian Army wishes to clarify on alleged invasion of Media Trust Headquarters in Abuja and regional office in Maiduguri.

We would like to state that soldiers of the Nigerian Army along with elements of Nigeria Police Force and other Security Agencies were indeed at Abuja and Maiduguri offices of the publishing company to invite the staff of the company over its lead story on Sunday Trust publication, which divulged classified military information, thus undermining national security.

In it, the newspaper made disclosed details of planned military operations against the Boko Haram terrorists.

The disclosure of classified security information amounts to a breach of national security and run contrary to Sections 1 and 2 of the Official Secrets Act. It afforded the Boko Haram terrorists prior notice of our plans and giving them early warning to prepare against the Nigerian military, thus sabotaging the planned operations and putting the lives of troops in imminent and clear danger.

We would like to state that the invitation of those responsible for divulging military plans was done with the best of intention in order to make them realise the import of such acts to our national security.

We therefore advice all, particularly journalists, not to worry but engage in their responsive reportage and to be professional as the Nigerian Army has no intention of muzzling the press or jeopardising press freedom.

We however, wish to enjoin further that they should eschew jeopardizing national security in their reportage.

We would not tolerate situation where a publication would consistently side with terrorists and undermine our National institutions.

We wish to appeal to all, especially the media, to join hands with the Nigerian military and security forces to end terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

We would like to further assure that the invitation is for further investigation and if need be, all those culpable of jeopardising operations security will be prosecuted by the relevant law enforcement agency.

You are please requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium.

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

SANI KUKASHEKA USMAN

Brigadier General

Director Army Public Relations

Credit

Atiku decries Daily Trust Invasion, says “follow due process, not a resort to the jackboot”

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described freedom of the press as a bedrock of Nigeria’s democracy. Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party made the declaration as he reacted to the invasion and sealing off of the premises of the Daily Trust Newspapers in Maiduguri and Abuja.

” I have received with concern news of the sealing of Daily Trust corporate headquarters in Abuja. Freedom of the press is the bedrock of our democracy and nothing should be done to compromise it.

If Daily Trust as an institution or any of its staff is in breach of the law, I recommend that due process be followed and not a resort to the jackboot”, Abubakar tweeted.

Armed soldiers had stormed the offices of the newspaper in Maiduguri and Abuja to shut down the offices. The regional editor, Uthman Abubakar and a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab were taken away by the soldiers. In Abuja, the soldiers asked staff members at the office to pack their working tools, including laptops and leave the premises.

Checks revealed that the action of the army might be as a result of a story on Sunday’s edition of Daily Trust about the military expedition in the North East.

Thought the Federal Government says the war against terror is on course, reports in the media indicate that the army apart from suffering losses in terms of men and equipment are not having the best in terms of morale.

Videos of soldiers fainting due to hunger as well as videos of some soldiers deserting with claims that they would not fight with obsolete equipment have also surfaced on social media.

31 Political Parties Endorse Atiku In Osun

Ahead of the coming election, 31 political parties have united in Osun to work for the emergence of PDP's Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar today.

The decision was reached at a joint meeting of CUPP and other political parties' leaders in the state which included 31 active political parties.

In his remarks during the meeting, Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo admonished all state chairmen of other political parties to remain focused, undeterred and undistracted by side attractions of the ruling party, APC, which he said has nothing tangible to offer anybody.

Adagunodo said, "by now we must all have learnt one lesson or another from the clandestine attitude of APC's culture of use and dump."

"The way they treated Osun based members of their parry during the eight years reign of economic terrorism inflicted on the state by the administration of APC under Aregbesola is enough reason for all of us to know that whatever they offer is nothing but pure vote buying," Adagunodo stated.

He went further by thanking the other political parties for their support for the PDP in the last governorship election of September 22nd, 2018, which gave PDP victory, but technically being suspended and will soon be retrieved at the tribunal legally by the grace of God.

He also promised them that whatever they are entitled to as politicians, as political parries will not be denied them as long as the candidate of the PDP (their joint candidate) is declared the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria very soon.