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MRA Condemns Government's Closure of
Media Houses
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) views with alarm the
resurgence of government clampdown and closure of media houses which
characterized the administration of former President Ibrahim Babangida.
The sealing up of premises of Concord Press (Nigeria)
Limited and Punch Newspapers Limited on Saturday, June 11, 1994 is without
question illegal and unjustifiable. No law in Nigeria empowers the
Federal Government or any of its security agencies to undertake such a
measure.
The government’s action is a flagrant disregard for the
provisions of Section 36 of the 1979 Constitution, restored by the
Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree No 107 of 1993 and a
breach of Nigeria’s international obligations under at least three
international instruments to which the country is a signatory – Article 9
of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights’ Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 19 of the International
Covenant on Political Rights.
The government’s action is a violation of both the rights
of the affected media houses to disseminate ideas and information and the
fundamental rights of all Nigerian citizens to receive ideas and
information.
The Media Rights Agenda therefore calls on all Nigerians to
resist this persistent violation of their fundamental rights by
vociferously protecting the government’s action.
By adopting the contemptible tactics of the Babangida years
in reacting to public criticisms, the government has exposed its inability
to marshall superior arguments in response to those of its critics.
The MRA sees this latest action as a reinforcement of its
conviction that human rights cannot be guaranteed under a military regime
but will only be adequately protected under a democratic set up.
The MRA calls on the Federal Government to retrace its
steps by withdrawing securitymen from premises of newspapers even as
military itself withdraws from governance.
TIVE DENEDO
NATIONAL SECRETARY
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