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Abiri’s Arrest, Grave Indication Of Journalists’ Intimidation Under Buhari Administration, Says CPJ Rep

"The ongoing efforts to prosecute Jones Abiri are a grave indication of the lengths to which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will go to intimidate journalists in Nigeria," the CPJ representative stated.

After more than two years in detention, Jones Abiri, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Weekly Source tabloid, has been released from detention.

Abiri, who was arrested at his office in Bayelsa in 2016 by security agents, was released on bail on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

In a statement on the release, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for all charges against Abiri to be dropped, noting that his arrest is a “grave indication of the lengths to which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will go to intimidate journalists.”

According to the CPJ statement, made available on its website, the organisation welcomed Abiri’s release, and urged “Nigerian authorities to drop all charges against Abiri and ensure those responsible for his over two years in detention without trial or family visitation are held accountable.”

Muthoki Mumo, CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative, from Nairobi, Kenya, also condemned the arrest and subsequent detention, stating that "Jones Abiri should never have been arrested nor kept in detention by the Department of State Security for over two years, and we call for all charges against him to be dropped immediately.

"The ongoing efforts to prosecute Jones Abiri are a grave indication of the lengths to which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will go to intimidate journalists in Nigeria."

Abiri is scheduled to appear in court today.

Topics
Human Rights