Nigerian journalists detained after story on President Goodluck Jonathan
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan will soon consider signing legislation that would restrict “expression, assembly, or organization based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” according to the United States Embassy in Nigeria.
Two Nigerian reporters have been detained after publishing an article critical of President Goodluck Jonathan. The Reporters Without Borders organization says that the journalists were arrested for refusing to name their sources and calls their detention "unacceptable."
"If the president feels offended by an article, he has a number of ways to respond other than launching a harassment campaign," Reporters Without Borders announced in a statement.
Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzor Ukaibe of Leadership, a daily newspaper, published an article last week titled: "Outrage trails presidential directive on Tinubu, APC."
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The article alleged that the president has been going to great lengths to try putting a halt to the growing popularity of the opposition party, including ordering surveillance.
The report triggered denials from the president's top aides, who ordered police to find the writers and get their sources, All Africa reported.
“We are concerned that journalists can be still taken away on some presidential orders and be detained,” the managing director of Leadership told The Associated Press.
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