Army Invasion: Apologize to Daily Trust, Group tells FG

The Atiku-Agbaje Media Engagement Network (AAMEN) said the the military’s invasion of the Daily Trust offices on Sunday “showed a violent descent into anarchy, impunity and human rights abuse.”

A statement by AAMEN Executive Secretary, Mr. Felix Oboagwina said the assault on the medium amounted to traducing Press Freedom and the Freedom of Information Act.

It demanded that the government should tender an unreserved apology to Daily Trust in particular and to Nigerians in general.

“This injudicious resort to self-help and intimidation is condemnable, highhanded and undemocratic. There are clear and extant provisions in the country’s law books for whoever is aggrieved to seek redress. That the Army took the laws into its own hands is wrong and whoever gave the directive to clamp down on Daily Trust deserves to be reviewed and sanctioned,” Oboagwina said.

AAMEN described as weak and puerile the Army’s statement on Monday that the invasion was because the newspaper leaked secret documents on security operations.

“Nothing can justify the Army’s deployment of troops to a civil organisation,” the group said.

“Clearly, the Army high command is dissipating energy on a matter for the police and the courts.”