The perpetrators of these violations are the federal and state governments who continue to impose thetaxes, thereby making production of these materials very expensive and unaffordable to members ofthe public.Our findings showed that the right to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and informationwithout interference as contained in Section 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republicof <strong>Nigeria</strong> has been greatly violated since 1999.On the June 14, 2006, Gbenga Mike Aruleba, a television journalist with African IndependentTelevision (AIT) was arrested from his office, at Kpaduma Hill, Asokoro District, Abuja, at about9.30 a. m, by six men from the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja. He was arrested inconnection with a discussion that took place on 13 th June 2006, on the programme, “Focus <strong>Nigeria</strong>”,which he anchors on AIT. The subject of the discussion was the purchase of a presidential jet for theuse of the President of <strong>Nigeria</strong>. The plane was speculated to be a used aircraft and purportedlypurchased at an inflated price.Mr. Aruleba was arrested without warrant, allegedly on the orders of Col. Kayode Are, the DirectorGeneral of SSS. He was detained in an underground cell in the premises of the State Security Service,Maitama, Abuja, for more than 24 hours and was eventually released at about 6.30 p. m. on 15 th June2006. He was instructed to report to the SSS office every Monday. When he reported as instructed onMonday, 26 th June, 2006, he was detained and charged to court the next day, 27 th June, 2006, togetherwith Rotimi Durojaiye, a reporter with the Daily Independence Newspaper, who had been arrestedearlier that day in Lagos and flown to Abuja, in connection with the aircraft story as published by thenewspaper. They were charged before the Federal High Court, OAU Quarters, Asokoro Abuja, presidedover by Justice Babs Kuewumi for the offences of Conspiracy, and Seditious Publication with intent tobring to hatred and contempt or excite dissatisfaction against the person of the President of the FederalRepublic of <strong>Nigeria</strong>, contrary to Section 51(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, an offence which attracts ajail term of 2 years or an option of N2000 fine. The two journalists were denied bail on the ground thatthe bail application argued by their lawyers was not written but oral. The Judge ordered that they beremanded in the cell of the State Security Service and be presented in court on the 29 th June 2006.They were granted bail on 29 th June 2006, upon formal application by their lawyers in the sum ofN500,000.00 each, with sureties, and required to deposit their International Passports with the Court.Meanwhile, in a decided case, State Vs. Ivory Trumpet Publishing Ltd & 3 Ors (1984) 5 NCLR pages736 @ 756, Justice Alpha Belgore JCA as he then was, had made a pronouncement that the law ofSedition as contained in Section 51 (2) of CPA is obsolete and therefore not applicable in the modernday <strong>Nigeria</strong>. By this statement, the Learned Judge pronounced the law of Sedition dead.Investigation revealed that the Management of AIT had rendered unreserved apology to the FederalGovernment in respect of the publication through their medium consequent upon which the matter waswithdrawn from Court by the Government.On March 10, 2006, at about 16.30 hours, a team of operatives from the SSS office in Kadunastormed the office of 65 year old Adamu Sambo, a publisher, at No. A15 Katari Road, Barnawa,Kaduna. They insisted that he should sign a warrant of search that they had come with. Theyproceeded to seize about 3,000 copies of a book entitled “Obasanjo, the Lust for Power and its TragicImplications for <strong>Nigeria</strong>” written by Prof. Abubakar Sadiq, a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.The book condemns President Obasanjo’s speculated ambition for a third term in office. The operativesseized other items including computer diskettes, private letters, articles and other materials written by52
various persons and clients of the publisher. They then sealed up the office and took him to SSS officein Kaduna, where he was detained for one day before he was released.While in detention, he was compelled to write a statement disclosing the number of copies of the bookproduced by the publisher. He was forced to make an undertaking to cease further production of thebook. They gave no reasons for their action.Adamu was released the next day, 11 th day of March 2006. None of the confiscated items was releasedto him. He was instructed to report to the SSS office on the 13 th day of March 2006, and informed thatthey would call on him anytime they needed him.RECOMMENDATIONS(i) The judicial authorities should rigorously enforce the freedom of expression and of thepress as provided for in the Constitution as they form the bedrock of democracy.(ii)(iii)(iv)The President should, as a matter of expediency, assent to the bill on Freedom ofInformation, which has been passed by the National Assembly. This will enhance the rightsof <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns to be informed about the activities and decisions of government and itsagencies and promote good governance.Government and its agencies must realize that the freedom of expression and of the pressguaranteed under the constitution means that in the absence of a court order, the mediamight not be interfered with in the course of disseminating information.Media practitioners are urged to verify the authenticity/veracity of their stories before goingto the press.53
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THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTSINNIGERIA2
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe National Human
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FOREWORDThe State of Human Rights i
- Page 9 and 10:
INTRODUCTIONThe history of human ri
- Page 11 and 12: CHAPTER ONEEXTRAJUDICIAL, SUMMARY
- Page 13 and 14: On the 11 th of August, 2006, bodie
- Page 15 and 16: Corpse of Mr. Lugard Monday© Insti
- Page 17 and 18: CHAPTER TWOTORTURE, CRUEL, INHUMAN
- Page 19 and 20: Moments after Patrick died, a senio
- Page 21 and 22: CHAPTER THREEPOLICE CELLS AND OTHER
- Page 23 and 24: On February 18, 2006, Babagana Zann
- Page 25 and 26: the visits. Without being informed
- Page 27 and 28: last resort and for the minimum nec
- Page 29 and 30: Binta Umar, a 33yearold woman w
- Page 31 and 32: 2006, only one government lawyer fr
- Page 33 and 34: Women and ChildrenThe prison does n
- Page 35 and 36: of rape and abduction against him.
- Page 37 and 38: SOKOTO CENTRAL PRISONIntroductionTh
- Page 39 and 40: Ifeanyi Arasu, aged 28, was charged
- Page 41 and 42: Vocational FacilitiesThere were thr
- Page 43 and 44: BeddingsAt the male cells, only the
- Page 45 and 46: KUJE PRISONINTRODUCTIONKuje prison
- Page 47 and 48: RECOMMENDATIONS ON KUJE PRISONi) At
- Page 49 and 50: VISITORS’ BOOKSeveral visitors’
- Page 51 and 52: (e)Not to order imprisonment for fi
- Page 53 and 54: 5 Ahmed Suleiman, age 31 remanded i
- Page 55 and 56: RECOMMENDATIONS1) The States should
- Page 57 and 58: CHAPTER FIVEWOMEN AND OTHER GENDER
- Page 59 and 60: When the victim was interviewed, sh
- Page 61: CHAPTER SIXFREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AN
- Page 65 and 66: · Child labor and child traffickin
- Page 67 and 68: 4. Abdullah Mohammed, aged 16. He r
- Page 69 and 70: CHAPTER EIGHTHEALTH“The State sha
- Page 71 and 72: CHAPTER NINEFOOD AND SHELTER“The
- Page 73 and 74: CHAPTER TENLABOUR“The state shall
- Page 75 and 76: CHAPTER ELEVENCOMMUNNAL CONFLICTS A
- Page 77 and 78: acking different groups according t
- Page 79 and 80: claimed several lives, the Federal
- Page 81 and 82: Onitsha/Owerri Road, Mr Johnson Oka
- Page 83 and 84: “They came about 2.10 am, shootin
- Page 85 and 86: should do is to direct that every b
- Page 87 and 88: CHAPTER TWELVEFREEDOM OF MOVEMENT A
- Page 89 and 90: CHAPTER THIRTEENACCESS TO JUSTICE A
- Page 91 and 92: On September 9, 2005, Samuel and ot
- Page 93 and 94: CHAPTER FOURTEENPOLITICAL KILLINGS
- Page 95 and 96: CONCLUSIONGENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS1.
- Page 97: 30. The Ministry of Justice should
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