As we march into the threshold of yet another transition of one civilian administration to another, it is required that institutions of society saddled with the task of priming the process, particularly all security agencies in the country, build their capacities to resist the temptation of using brute force to gag the Nigerian press and media organizations.
This observation is coming on the heels of the recent letter from the State Intelligence Bureau of the Nigeria Police, State Headquarters of the Akwa Ibom State Command in Uyo dated 4th April, 2014, which to all intent and purposes is a veiled threat at violating the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, and the globally accepted principle of free speech.
Written to the Editors-in-Chief of four local tabloid in Uyo, viz:- The Guide newspaper, Global Concord newspaper, The INK newspaper, and The RADAR newspaper, we believe strongly that the letter is a subtle threat to the editors, and conceals an intension we suspect is not benevolent at all, but malevolent in character.
The letter which reads inter alia:- “In view of the political atmosphere in the Country and the role the press plays in our day to day life, and the forthcoming 2015 election, it has become expedient for us to have a chat together. To this end therefore, you are please invited to a round table chat with the Officer in-charge, State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia on Thursday, 10th April, 2014, by 10 am prompt. Please, treat this invitation as important . . .” and signed by Superintendent Joseph A. Udoh, is shrouded in secrecy of the real intention.
While admitting that the police “invitation” appears civil in content, the second paragraph conceals the threat to the safety of the invited editors, particularly when juxtaposed with the flowery prose of paragraph one.
The police have statutory functions, and in civil society, we will do everything constitutionally possible to help the police succeed in its genuine duties, but we will raise alarm any time we discover that there is a possible threat to the violation of the constitutional rights of citizens or residents of any part of Nigeria. We will promote global practice of police duties in Nigeria, but will not hesitate to draw attention of the authorities and the international community to what constitutes fears of the citizenry of excessive force in any guise.
If the police meant well, it should have extended this “invitation” to all the media houses operating in Akwa Ibom State. The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Akwa Ibom State is under the leadership of a vibrant and highly respected professional, Mr. Patrick Albert, and inviting all the Journalists in the State would have made sense through his office, and that of the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO).
It has become necessary to issue this release as a way of advising the police not to allow itself to be procured and used by self-serving politicians who want to further dent the image of the police that we feel constrained to say, needs total overhaul. The Akwa Ibom State police command is still re-inventing itself by its pro-active steps, which has been commendable recently.
As the foremost human rights organization in Nigeria, the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) is ready to fight for the rights of those whose rights have been abused, including that of police men and members of the security and armed services.
We advise that the police threads carefully in this matter.
Clifford Thomas, Esq.
State Chairman
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