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8/31/1981 - Showdown for the Press by Bowden S. Quinn

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS BSQ Tourist Nail UoSo Embassy P O Box Lagos Nigeria Showdown Press August Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Whoclock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New lampsl 03755 Dear Peter The Nigerian government launched campaign intimi dation against opponents press In month police raided offices three newspapers arrested editors The editors awaiting trial publishing false information sedition cases The newspapers responded renewed attacks admin istration President Shehu Shagari National Party Nigeria joined other papers demanding press freedom Africa democratic government outspoken press headed showdown The gauntlet taken July government spokesman announced president would Ni9 Tribune article which alleged president taking NPN effort bribe opposition legislators The Tribune similar chares against party month earlier By naming president participant paper appears uilty libel cannot substantiate charge Shagari seems justified suing confrontation broader ominous aspect The majority shareholder Tribune Chief Obafemi Awolowo leader Unity Party Nigeria Shagari bitterest The paper viciously continu attacked president NPN since Awolowos presidential election preceding country return civilian Shagari indicated patience earing On July warned would action against those after failing political power through democratic process abused concept freedom pression He constitution adequate provisions dealing those forces which disturbing unity stability progress country On Aug Nigerian police occupied Tribun lishing plant They arrested editors after searching their offices homes They reason their action Questioned about editors arrest police inspector general quoted saying They human beings Bowden Quinn Overseas Journalism Fellow Institute studying colonial influences West African nations His interest government Nigeria BSQ other person there nothing unusual being arrested other people could arrested He pointed could constitutionally hours without charge His department exceeded limit hours releasing still without charge evening following after routine seemingly tless interrogation With concer excesses Nigerian press brought president lawsuit became complicated worries about government attitude toward press freedom indeed personal freedoms The confrontation between Shagari ponents press effect press Nigeria second repub At issue runing debate wllether unstable nations primary responsibility press promote unity supportin government check abuse power being overnment critic The outcome largely determined positions taken Nigeria other newspapers particularly three generally acknow ledged independent Th P__unclx privately second largest selling paper circulation O00 Daily Times_ percent owned federal overn largest Nigeria papers daily circulation Sunday Ne Nicerian wlnolly owned federal yovernment circulation The Nigeria dailies weeklies hlisl vernaculer whether owned state governments individuals identified politi party engage partisan journalism Other expected outburst Tribune other UPN papers press respond police The P_nch story sinificance focus beginning The police yesterday carried first veillance newspaper office since civilian admini October Yet armed policemen occupied premises hours initially barring entry workers preventing publication paper early edition edition appeared reportedly surprise police The Punch headline referred police vigil The Times approach saying T ri_b_u_ne offices being guarded police The New Nigeri reported sealed story appeared Like Nieria dailies New Nigerian tabloid backpae stories rominence paper story about pension rules Lagos State government workers On Aug before Time____s Ne___w N__i_e_ri appeal member NPN national executive asking president against Tribune On Aug however government spokesman would charge paper editors sedition knowingly publishing false information likely disturb public peace cause alarm among mblic The Tribune editorial paper looking forward trial because could prove charges against president It condemned police tinued attacks Shagari The Tribu9 three party papers carried statement National Union BSQ Journalists condemning arrests seizure The union federal government taken civilized indicating would publishers newspaper undone decision through police action The seizure arrests affected Tribun union It grand design press freedom under severe jeopardy The three party papers carried commentary confrontation until Aug column appeared Th_ Sunday Punch criticizing newspapers concentrating negative propaganda against opponents damning damnable vituper ation righteous indignation The author university professor communications later revealed column written before Tribne article police Evidently concern excesses press growing which papers taking scurrilous T_ri_bn The police raided offices stndard Aug Sk_etch Aug In cases editors arrested their desks homes searched later charged publishing false information The reasons these charges still certain riters papers speculate result stories leging NPN plans assassinate rival politicians The Sketc another UPN paper S_tand liated another party On Aug first commentary confrontation tween Shagari Tr party papers appeared Th__e Punch which doesn editorials gives space opinion columns Regular columnist Tunde analyzed significance trial Tribune editors What beginning tomorrow partly genuine trial libel although called sedition partly showdown between federal government UPN If editors T_ribne prove their charge against president founded Shagari should alternative resign If resign image democracy maintained impeachment Obadina column probably written before heard Sket_ch perhaps before Standard reached On Aug another 0badina column He examined UPN Pu dealt police raids repeated accusation NPN fascist government inflammatory description neither other sonable person would considered seriously until recent events He wrote appears press freedom argument against defining regime fascist lately weakened Few people believed coincidence three papers being charged court highly critical federal govern owned individuals governments political parties stand opposition federal government NPN The pattern seems obvious gives credence legation after Tribun affair government planning systematically opposition press intimi dation R Obadina concluded federal government party should realize creating heroes pushing BSQ opposition parties defensive creaing conditions whereby deformed capitalist maintained fascist military On Aug police again raided Tribtule The paper speculated their result story linked police customs officers multi million dollar piracy It police searching reporter wrote story This increased debate police acting their raiding newspaper offices For several weeks press strongly criticized force failure avert bloody northern Kano killing athlete police checkpoint Lagos On Aug Ne Nigerian carried article UPN govei blame Shagari police actions The governor warned president control heads department before destroy president country peace their fascist approach His comments prompted first New Ni geian editorial T It squarely behind Shagari police saying legal process goverrment faced direct threat public peace national security By layers finished eating their praying courts interim injunctions irreparable already And God knows present admini stration Nigerian Police Force tolerated precisely excess publishers T_rib_ times counted In issue paper reported statement police inspector general police action check false publications continue In month since Triune article _Times written editorial goverznnent challenge press though coverage thorough balanced The attention agalnst policemen charged killing athlete seems foiled attempt department quash charges The paper itself forced sides conflict between Shagari federal government police NPN papers lincluding Ne Ni_geri__an opposi parties their paper Th__e Punc1 other On Aug reported Shagari would announce strong measures confrontationists Oct I The guage echoes Shagari words July several statments federal government spokesmen since October I Nigeria independence second versary return civilian The trial Tribune editors Oct Nigeria third renewed democracy promises toughest Regards Bowden Quinn Received Hanover