Detained Nigerian journalists released

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 2 January 2013

Two journalists from Al-Mizan were released after being detained for over a week by Nigeria's secret police. They were arrested for their reporting on Boko Haram and military actions.

Summary

LAGOS, Nigeria: An official says two Nigerian journalists have been freed after being detained without charges for more than a week by the nation's secret police following writing stories about a radical Islamist sect and alleged military abuses.

Mohammed Garba, president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said Tuesday that Musa Mohammed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, journalists with the weekly Hausa language newspaper, Al-Mizan, were freed around noon.

Garba said the two men had not been abused or mistreated while in custody. He said the two men may have to return for questioning again by Nigeria's secretive State Security Service.

The two journalists were arrested on December 24 at their homes in Kaduna. Their newspaper has published a series of stories about alleged military abuses and the sect known as Boko Haram. - AP

Key Points

Journalists were detained without charges for over a week.
Release occurred after intervention from the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
The journalists are expected to return for questioning.
Their reporting focused on military abuses and Boko Haram.
Detention highlights issues of press freedom in Nigeria.

Relevant Topics

Nigeria

Journalism

Detention

Boko Haram

AL-Mizan

Military Abuses

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