Media Rights Agenda
Lagos, Tuesday, April, 30, 2013: The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos and Media Rights Agenda (MRA) are organizing a joint seminar to discuss the safety of journalists as they mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) in Nigeria. The theme of the seminar – “Securing the Safety …
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MRA Makes FOI Request to National Films and Videos Censors Board over Banned Documentary
Lagos, Monday, April 22, 2013: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has made a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to the National Film and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB) seeking detailed information on the agency’s decision to ban the documentary, “Fueling Poverty”. The NFVCB, a Federal Government agency which vets, …
Read More »Detained journalists arraigned on charges of forgery
On April 16, 2013, Mr. Tony Amokeodo and Mr. Chibuizor Ukaibe, journalists with the Leadership newspaper who were detained by the Police on April 15, were charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, with 10 counts of conspiracy and forgery. Amokeodo and Ukaibe were re-arrested and detained …
Read More »Policemen, government officials brutalise journalist
On April 15, 2013, Mr. Goke Famadewa, a reporter with “The Punch” newspaper was attacked by officers of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Offences Enforcement Unit and policemen attached to the Unit. He was taking photographs of the demolition of alleged illegal structures by Taskforce officials in the Lagos …
Read More »PRESS RELEASE: MRA Describes Re-arrest of Leadership Newspapers Reporters as “Unwarranted Harassment”
Lagos, Tuesday, April 16, 2013: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today condemned the re-arrest on April 15 of Mr. Tony Amokeodo and Mr. Chibuzo Ukaibe of Leadership newspaper, describing the action as systematic and unwarranted harassment. MRA called for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists, saying it had issued …
Read More »Police Re-arrest Leadership Newspaper Journalists
On Monday, April 15, 2013, the Nigerian Police re-arrested and detained two Leadership newspaper journalists, Mr. Tony Amokeodo, the Group News Editor and Mr. Chibuzo Ukaibe, a political reporter. The journalists were taken to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters detention facility in Abuja where they are currently being held. …
Read More »NBC Fines Radio Station N2 Million over Comments against Minister
On Friday, April 12, 2013, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Nigeria’s broadcast regulator, imposed a NGN2 million (about US$14,000) fine on the Kaduna-based privately owned radio station, Liberty Radio FM, over comments aired on an Hausa phone-in discussion programme tagged, “In A Dalili”. The NBC handed down the fine based on …
Read More »Government Agency Bans Airing of Documentary on Poverty
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has banned the exhibition, distribution and airing of a 30-minute documentary film entitled ‘Fueling Poverty’ saying its contents “are highly provocative and likely to incite or encourage public disorder and undermine national security.” The NFVCB is the agency which vets, classifies, and …
Read More »Press release: Media Rights Agenda Condemns Attack on Journalists Covering Fraud Trial
Lagos, Friday, April 11, 2013: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned yesterday’s attack on journalists covering a criminal trial at the Abuja High Court by fraud suspects and their supporters in an on-going trial over the embezzlement of over N40 billion Police Pension Fund. Reports said some supporters of one …
Read More »Fraud Suspect, Supporters Assault Journalists Covering Trial
Journalists covering a criminal trial at the Abuja High Court in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory were on April 10, 2013, attacked in the court premises by fraud suspects and their supporters in an on-going trial over embezzlement of over NGN40 billion (about US$250 million) Police pension fund. Supporters of one …
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