ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Saturday, January 16, 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
Jones Abiri (Photo Credit: The Cable)

Jones Abiri (Photo Credit: The Cable)

Amid growing outrage, Nigerian govt arraigns journalists held for two years

bySamuel Ogundipe
July 28, 2018
2 min read

A Nigerian journalist whose prolonged detention has drawn widespread local and international condemnation, has finally been arraigned before a magistrate, his lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES Saturday.

Jones Abiri was taken into custody in July 2016 by Nigeria’s ruthless State Security Service, which accused him of militancy but failed to file criminal charges within two days as required by law.

Mr Abiri, 50, was kept largely incommunicado since his arrest, a measure that was fiercely defended by top Buhari administration officials despite criticisms by local and foreign rights advocates.

Femi Falana, a rights activist leading Mr Abiri’s legal team, told PREMIUM TIMES his client was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Abuja on Friday.

The SSS said in court filings that Mr Abiri sent a text message to Agip and Shell to demand illicit payments of up to N500 million from the oil giants.

Although it was unclear whether this was the only count brought against Mr Abiri, the journalist was nonetheless reported to have been granted a N2 million bail.

The magistrate also required that Mr Abiri must provide two sureties who must be senior civil servants on at least Level-15. It was not immediately clear whether the sureties must be federal or state civil servants, but since the charges were filed by federal authorities, it can be easily assumed that the sureties are federal civil servants.

Also arraigned alongside Mr Abiri was Collins Opume, said to be a student of Niger-Delta University from Bayelsa State.

It was also unclear whether Mr Opume was arraigned as an accomplice of Mr Abiri, especially since his identity was not known before now. But he was believed to have been in custody for about the same time as Mr Abiri.

RelatedNews

15 die in separate road crashes in Edo

WAFU B Tournament: Golden Eaglets qualify for final, pick AFCON ticket

NSE: Mid-cap stocks spur N19 billion gain

Nigeria confirms plans to sell govt properties to fund 2021 budget

The magistrate, C. Nweke of Wuse Zone 2 Chief Magistrate’s Court, adjourned further proceeding on the arraignment, whose details remained shrouded in secrecy, until August 2.

Mr Falana said the date would coincide with the next adjournment date for a fundament rights suit preciously filed over the detention of Mr Abiri.

He added that the duo were sent back to the SSS detention facility in Abuja since the stringent bail terms set for them could not be immediately met.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Mr Abiri, publisher of Weekly Source magazine, was arrested on July 21 at his office in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on allegations that he was a key militant terrorising locals and expatriates in the restive oil-rich region.

His arrest and continued detention elicited outrage from journalists and other media rights groups.

After keeping mum for several months, the SSS later disclosed that Mr Abiri wrote a confessional statement of his involvement in the crime while in custody.

This claim, alongside several similar allegations propagated against Mr Abiri by the SSS and government officials like Garba Shehu and Lai Mohammed, was rejected by the Committee to Protect Journalist.

The media advocacy group launched a worldwide campaign to mount pressure on Mr Buhari to order the immediate release of the journalist by the SSS.

Media practitioners also used the 2018 International Press Institute World Congress held in Abuja earlier this month to mount pressure on the Buhari government to release Mr Abiri.

ADVERTISEMENT

Peter Nkanga, a journalist and media rights advocate whose extensive investigation into the mystery surrounding Mr Abiri’s detention was recently published by PREMIUM TIMES, said the SSS disclosed in court affidavit that the journalist was kept in custody for so long because efforts were still underway to arrest his purported conspirators.

Mr Nkanga added that the secret police also told that the court that forensic examination was still being conducted to establish Mr Abiri’s alleged roles.

Critics say under Mr Buhari, the SSS, which functions as a secret state police, has become more authoritarian, locking up citizens for months and years without charge.

Many are not allowed access to their families and lawyers, they say.

The SSS, led by Lawal Daura, has also flouted several court orders granting bail to high profile detainees like former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

Both men have been held for nearly three years.

The security agency has refused to name a spokesperson to respond to such allegations.

  • 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 (41)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Video: P Diddy meets Wizkid, hints at visiting Nigeria

Next Post

Buhari Presidency now ‘citadel of liars’ — PDP

Samuel Ogundipe

Samuel Ogundipe

Samuel Ogundipe is a general assignment reporter at PREMIUM TIMES. At various times, he has covered the Presidency, National Assembly and Defence. Twitter: @SamuelOgundipe

More News

A river used to illustrate the story

Cholera responsible for over 25 deaths in Benue – Official

January 15, 2021
FRSC officials at the scene of the accident on the expressway

15 die in separate road crashes in Edo

January 15, 2021
Nigeria Police Force

Another Police AIG, Yunana Babas, is dead

January 15, 2021
Cross River governor, Ben Ayade, has always claimed his state is COVID-19 free

Cross River orders 30 magistrates owed for two years to stop work

January 15, 2021
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)

UPDATED: Nigeria’s Inflation hits 32-month peak

January 15, 2021
Ugandan voters [Photo Credit: The Africa Report]

#UgandaDecides: Museveni takes early lead over Bobi Wine as vote count continues

January 15, 2021
Next Post
FILE: Sen Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matter (Senate) arriving the Presidential Villa with the 2018 Appropriation Bill ready for President Buhari’s signature at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday (20/6/18) 03270/20/6/2018/Callistus Ewelike/NAN

Buhari Presidency now 'citadel of liars' -- PDP

President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari to attend joint ECOWAS summit in Togo

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


NITDA Ad




Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert

Heritage 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 Address Nationwide
  • 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.