Q2 2021

The records

1. 26 Jun 2021·Borno·CPN-0124

   Borno governor suspends foreign NGO for allegedly conducting shooting training in Maiduguri

   The Borno State government under Governor Babagana Zulum suspended the French humanitarian organisation ACTED from all humanitarian services in the state after residents near a Maiduguri hotel reported gunshot sounds during a staff training; police found toy pistols and simulators in use. The hotel was sealed pending a police investigation.

   • The ICIR: https://www.icirnigeria.org/borno-governor-suspends-foreign-ngo-for-allegedly-conducting-shooting-training-in-maiduguri/
   • AllAfrica: https://allafrica.com/stories/202106290041.html
   • HumAngle: https://humanglemedia.com/humanitarian-organisation-suspended-by-authorities-in-northeast-nigeria/
2. 12 Jun 2021·National·CPN-0125

   Nigeria: police fire tear gas in Democracy Day protests

   Police fired tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters in Lagos and Abuja on Democracy Day, 12 June 2021, after activists called nationwide protests over insecurity, governance and the Twitter ban. AFP reporters saw people detained and journalists were harassed by security forces in Abuja; Abuja police said they made no arrests.

   • Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/12/police-fire-tear-gas-to-break-up-nigeria-protests
3. 7 Jun 2021·National·CPN-0126

   Nigeria orders broadcasters to delete 'unpatriotic' Twitter

   On 7 June 2021 the National Broadcasting Commission directed all broadcast stations to deactivate their Twitter accounts and stop using Twitter as a source of information for news and phone-in programmes, following the federal government's suspension of Twitter.

   • Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/7/nigeria-orders-broadcasters-to-delete-unpatriotic-twitter
   • Channels Television: https://www.channelstv.com/2021/06/07/nbc-directs-all-broadcasting-stations-in-nigeria-to-suspend-twitter-usage/
   • Vanguard: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/nbc-directs-all-broadcast-stations-to-suspend-twitter-handles/
   • TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/07/nigeria-orders-broadcasting-media-to-disregard-twitter-as-news-source
4. 7 Jun 2021·National·CPN-0127

   Nigeria's Twitter ban follows pattern of repression

   On 4 June 2021 the Minister of Information and Culture announced an indefinite suspension of Twitter's operations in Nigeria, citing use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence. It followed Twitter's deletion of a post by President Muhammadu Buhari. Rights groups described the suspension as an unjustified restriction on freedom of expression and access to information.

   • Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/06/07/nigerias-twitter-ban-follows-pattern-repression
5. 5 Jun 2021·National·CPN-0128

   #TwitterBan: Malami Orders Prosecution Of Offenders

   On 5 June 2021, a day after the federal government suspended Twitter in Nigeria, Attorney-General Abubakar Malami directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute anyone who violated the suspension, and to work with the NCC and other agencies to ensure speedy prosecution of offenders.

   • Channels Television: https://www.channelstv.com/2021/06/05/twitterban-malami-orders-prosecution-of-offenders/
   • Vanguard: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/twitter-ban-malami-orders-prosecution-of-offenders/
   • TheCable: https://www.thecable.ng/just-in-malami-orders-prosecution-of-twitter-ban-violators/
   • Federal Ministry of Justice: https://justice.gov.ng/twitter-ban-malami-orders-prosecution-of-offenders/
6. 30 Apr 2021·Benue·CPN-0129

   Police arrest journalist who criticised Ortom for 'mishandling' ethnic conflict

   On April 30, 2021, Nigeria Police Force officers arrested Sunday Egena Odeh, State House correspondent of Peoples Daily, at the AYA roundabout in Abuja on the orders of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom over Odeh's criticism of the governor. Odeh was taken to Makurdi, Benue State, and released from police custody there around 1 p.m. on May 1 after several hours in detention. As president of Igede Media Professionals, Odeh had issued an April 7 statement blaming Ortom for escalating the Bonta-Ukpute conflict.

   • TheCable: https://www.thecable.ng/police-arrest-journalist-who-criticised-ortom-for-mishandling-ethnic-conflict
   • PRNigeria News: https://prnigeria.com/2021/05/01/media-group-egena-odeh-peoples-daily/
7. 26 Apr 2021·National·CPN-0130

   NBC suspends Channels TV 'Politics Today' over interview with IPOB leader

   On 26 April 2021 the National Broadcasting Commission suspended Channels Television's Politics Today programme and fined the station N5 million over a 25 April live interview with IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful, which it said aired secessionist and inciting statements. SERAP threatened to sue the NBC if the suspension was not reversed.

   • TheCable: https://www.thecable.ng/nbc-suspends-channels-tv-politics-today-over-interview-with-ipob-leader/
   • The Guardian Nigeria: https://guardian.ng/news/nigerian-government-suspends-channels-tvs-politics-today/
   • Sahara Reporters: https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/26/breaking-nbc-suspends-channels-tv-interviewing-ipob-leader
   • Vanguard: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/breaking-nbc-suspends-channels-tv-for-speaking-with-ipob/
8. 19 Apr 2021·Kano·CPN-0131

   Police summon Daily Nigerian publisher Jaafar Jaafar following governor's threat

   Police summoned Daily Nigerian publisher Jaafar Jaafar to appear on 19 April 2021 over alleged criminal conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and inciting violence. The summons followed a 19 March 2021 BBC Hausa interview in which Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said he planned to deal with the journalists behind a 2018 series of videos alleging he had received bribes. Jaafar went into hiding.

   • Committee to Protect Journalists: https://cpj.org/2021/04/police-summon-daily-nigerian-publisher-jaafar-jaafar-following-governors-threat/