ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Update: Akwa Ibom crisis: Akpabio appoints new SSG as Umana resigns

Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio

Akwa Ibom secretly arraigns abducted editor for publishing story critical of Gov. Akpabio

byPremium Times
July 4, 2014
3 min read

An editor with an Uyo-based newspaper, Global Concord, Thomas Thomas, abducted on Tuesday by unknown armed government security operatives, was on Thursday arraigned before an Uyo Magistrate Court.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt the journalist was discreetly arraigned, without the knowledge of his employers, family and lawyers.

After the secret arraignment, a copy of the charges was published on the Facebook page of the Akwa Ibom State Government, which wants the journalist jailed for 14 years because his paper published a story critical of Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Mr. Thomas, whose newspaper is known for its critical views on the Akwa Ibom State government, is facing a three-count charge of using his medium to commit acts purportedly contravening the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.

The charges were contained in a one-page Charge sheet No. 1/U/389C 2014 signed by the State Director of Public Prosecution, Usen Usen. The case is between Mr. Thomas as the accused and the State (Akwa Ibom) as Complainant.

The charges read: “That you, Thomas Thomas (M), by series of publications in the Global Concord Newspaper between August 2013 – June, 2014 did make yourself an object of dread and nuisance, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6(1)(e) and (f) and punishable under Section 6(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.”

“That you, Thomas Thomas (M), by series of publications in the Global Concord Newspapers between August, 2013 – June, 2014 organized a system of intimidation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6(1)(d) and punishable under Section 6(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.”

“That you, Thomas Thomas (M), did cause extreme fear to the persons of Edidem Umoette and Edidem Ime Udousoro Inyang, Paramount Rulers of Etinan and Ibiono Ibom Local Government areas respectively by presenting to them a purported recorded message of intention by His Excellency, Godswill Obot Akpabio, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State to murder them and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6(1)(a) and punishable under Section 6(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.”

Find the charges below.

The Chairman of the paper’s Editorial Board, Unyime Equere, told PREMIUM TIMES that the management of Global Concord was surprised at the secret arraignment of Mr. Thomas, as they were neither served any notice nor allowed any legal representation for their staff.

RelatedNews

Obinwanne Okeke Sentenced to Prison for $11 Million Global Fraud Scheme

Nigeria records 126 new coronavirus cases

Access Bank remains committed to creating value for shareholders- Wigwe

Jigawa APC Crisis: Party chair rejects suspension.

According to Mr. Equere, since Mr. Thomas was abducted on Tuesday by three armed men at about 6 p.m. at the popular Aka Road/NEPA Line junction in the state capital, nobody knew where his captors took him to.

Both the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dickson Etim, and the Akwa Ibom State director of the State Security Service, SSS, Tomas Minti, had denied knowledge of the editor’s whereabouts.

Mr. Equere said both the management of the newspaper and Mr. Thomas’ siblings were so worried for his life and safety that they had concluded plans to approach the court in Uyo on Friday to file an application seeking to compel both the security agencies and the Akwa Ibom State government to produce him.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

But the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Aniekan Umanah, said Global Concord Management was properly served the charges before Mr. Thomas was arraigned in court on Thursday.

Mr. Umanah denied allegations by Global Concord management that they were not served, blaming the situation on the media house, which he said does not have any known official address.

“Global Concord does not have any office anywhere in the state,” Mr. Umanah said. “It does not even have any address that information could be dropped for them. When the State Security Service could not trace their office location anywhere, they resorted to using their own mechanism to serve them the court charges.”

Mr. Umanah declined to explain the mechanisms used in delivering the charges since Mr. Thomas’ employers and lawyers could not be located.

Asked where the journalist was being detained, the Commissioner said he was returned to the custody of the Nigeria Prisons Service from where he was brought to court.

On whether the charges did not amount to a violation of Mr. Thomas’ fundamental human rights, Mr. Umanah said he was not in a position to say, pointing out that the offences committed were so grievous that if found guilty, the editor would be sentenced to a minimum of 14 years imprisonment.

ADVERTISEMENT

The story that informed the arrest of the journalist concerned the alarm by youth and elders of Ibiono Ibom local government through the Ibiono Ibom Welfare and Development Union, IWADU, and Ibiono Ibom Clan Council about a plot allegedly hatched by government agents to assassinate Edidem Inyang and Edidem Umoette, two prominent traditional rulers in the state.

Following the report, the State Police Command beefed up security around the traditional rulers, who are said to be opposed to Governor Godwill Akpabio’s succession plan ahead of the 2015 general election.

Mr. Equere denied any wrongdoing by his paper, saying the story in question emanated from a press statement, which was widely circulated and published by other newspapers in the state.

Charges against Thomas Thomas of Global Concord
Charges against Thomas Thomas of Global Concord
  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (12)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

INVESTIGATION: Photo alleging Boko Haram’s massacre of 375 Christians is fake

Next Post

[FRIDAY SERMON] Taming the bombers and murderers in our midst, By Imam Murtada Gusau

Premium Times

Premium Times

More News

Manchester United and StarTimes partnership

Manchester United, StarTimes announce partnership for Nigeria, others

February 25, 2021
Dollars used to illustrate the story.

UN Panel: Bankers, lawyers, accountants enabling financial crimes ‘must be punished’

February 25, 2021
Abdulrasheed Maina

Alleged N2billion Fraud: Court dismisses Maina’s request for fresh bail

February 25, 2021
Police station used to illustrate the story

Police release details of attack on Abia police station

February 25, 2021
Temitope Oriola, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, on October 22, 2020. [PHOTO CREDIT: University of Alverta]

Nigerian professor appointed advisor on police reform in Canada

February 25, 2021
Obinwanne-Okeke.

EXCLUSIVE: Obinwanne Okeke barred from jobs that grant access to money, bank accounts

February 25, 2021
Next Post
[FRIDAY SERMON] Taming the bombers and murderers in our midst, By Imam Murtada Gusau

[FRIDAY SERMON] Taming the bombers and murderers in our midst, By Imam Murtada Gusau

OPC leader orders members to search for kidnapped Ejigbo council Chairman

Why the Conspiracy Against Bola Tinubu Will Fail, By Kehinde Bamigbetan

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,624,520 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.