Nigerian Army Speaks On Keeping Journalist Hostage

The Nigerian Army has reacted to the allegation that it has been keeping a journalist hostage and preventing such journalist from carrying out his duties especially in the conduct of the governorship and state assembly elections.

Naija News reports that the military made this known while reacting to an allegation made by a Daily Trust reporter.

In a statement released by the Headquarters Sector 2 of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, it said;

“The attention of Headquarters Sector 2, Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been drawn to a publication on Daily Trust online platform, which stated that: Nigerian Army seized the vehicle of a Daily Trust journalist and stopped him from covering elections.

This Headquarters wish to state emphatically that, no journalist was held hostage as claimed in the report, however, troops stationed at ORO 3, in Damaturu, among other locations within the Sector’s area of operations, were carrying out routine checks on vehicles as part of security measures during the elections, encountered a journalist from Daily Trust, who was impatient and insisted to be granted privilege without going through the routine security checks.

Consequently, the journalist contacted the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Sector 2, on phone, who immediately went to the scene to facilitate the early clearance of the journalist, while the troops continued with their routine checks, in line with strict adherence to the code of conduct for OPERATION SAFE CONDUCT.

Surprisingly, the Daily Trust journalist went ahead to make this mischievous report in order to disinform members of the public and to discredit the efforts of the troops and the Nigerian Army in general. We want to further state unequivocally that; other journalists’ have been passing through similar routine security checks without misconceptions. More so, journalists’ are enjoined to be professional and ensure they respect and observe security protocols.”