African Independent Television, Mike Gbenga Aruleba Under Arrest In Nigeria

Aruleleba is detained since Wednesday June 14th, 2006. He was arrested by the SSS (State Security Services) after showing on TV, on Tuesday, an interview in which former senator Joseph Waku accused Obasanjo's government of wrongdoing.

Update by moderator: As reported by AIT, he was released, rearrested along with Rotimi Durojaiye, and today they were jointly charged with "sedition" for writing about the presidential jet. They were also denied bail, so they'll be in jail for a month or so until the trial.

Can you tell us the name of Gbenga Aruleba's TV show and the time it's broadcast during the week? Thanks.

Well is a live programme where people can call in and express there views . AIT live programme tagged ‘Focus Nigeria’

When will the press ever be free!!

It is called a "Police State". SSS is an intimidation apparatus for the President. I Fcuken hate them Bastards.

He had since been released.

Nigerian authorities have been asked to release a television presenter detained by state security officials.

The Committee to Protect Journalists Media campaign group says Mike Gbenga Arubela was arrested on Wednesday.

The day previously, he had hosted a show discussing next year's presidential elections on which a guest criticised President Olusegun Obasanjo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5087754.stm

twinstaiye, where did you learn of his release and what were the charges against him? Thanks.

Apparently, a Judge issued the warrant for his arrest.

Thanks, Mariory. Where did you get your information from?

Seun:

Thanks, Mariory. Where did you get your information from?

It's in the same bbc news link you posted.
The director-general of state security said he was picked up on the basis of a court warrant, AFP news agency reports.

"We are going according to the rule of law and the norms, and the norms say when an investigation is in progress in a case, you don't disclose the details of that case until the investigation is completed," Kayode Are said.

I also saw it in another news article but, can't find it anymore.

Back to the topic,

In relation to twinstaiye post.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=18020

i don't know why the state authorities keep attacking AIT? is that how they want to encourage entrepreneurship and good governance?

He's been released, according to Friday Punch. Mariory is right.

Whatevr happened to freedom of expression. At least we are in a Democratic dispensation(government). The FG should watch the way they attack their critics. Instaed this criticism should be used as a yard stick of what the people feel about the Government. AIT should keep it up all the other stations have compromised.
But Gbenga has since been released and the show still continues.

He has since been re-arrested along with Rotimi Durojaiye

What have you heard about the two Nigerian journalists, Misters Gbenga Aruleba and Rotimi Durojaiye, jailed for "sedition" because they published information about the new presidential jet?

Isn't this shameful? Do you think we really have democracy? We are confused. Maybe there's a mistake.

Obasanjo is going from mistakes to mistakes.  How many people  listen to that show.?He is making short history long.
This should  even not  be an issue. let the guys say what they want and then file a law suit for label later if you think you're being treated unfairly,but don't  send  people to jail  just because   you are mad. This is not a democracy culture.
He has not digested very well his lost  battle for the 3rd term.  This president  has to understand Nigeria has at least a population of 100 millions people,he is not  the only guy who should remain president. There was a president before him and there will be a president after him.

I didn't watch the program so I will sit on the fence on this issue.

Democracy does not mean you are free to do anything. People shouldn't commit all sorts of atrocities in the name of free speech.

Sedition and treason are offenses meant to protect our government from elements likely to cause/instigate chaos. I hope the president and co are not taking things too far though.

Let us see if the judicial system will pass the test just like the assembly passed their's on the third term issue.

Here is the United Nations Report, which does not represent the views of Nairaland:
NIGERIA: Media harassment on the rise ahead of presidential elections, rights group

ABUJA, 28 Jun 2006 (IRIN) - Human rights groups say that media harassment is on the rise in Nigeria following the arrest of two journalists charged with sedition after publishing critical news reports about President Olusegun Obasanjo's government.

Rotimi Durojaiye of the Daily Independent newspaper and Gbenga Aruleba of Africa Independent Television were in an Abuja federal court on Tuesday facing six counts of working 'with intent to bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person of the president'.

Durojaiye, the aviation correspondent for the Daily Independent, had on 12 June published a report about the real age and cost of a presidential jet recently acquired for Obasanjo. The following day Aruleba also made comments on the jet issue in his daily political talk show.

After both reporters pleaded not guilty to the charges, Judge Babs Kuewumi ordered that they be held by the widely feared state security police, known as State Security Services (SSS), until conditions for bail are reviewed on Thursday.

Human rights activists from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) say the arrests show increasing intolerance of criticism by Obasanjo's government ahead of next year's crucial polls.

'CPJ has documented an increase in harassment of the media in the run-up to the 2007 presidential elections,' executive director Anne Cooper said in a statement on Tuesday. 'It is particularly worrying that the SSS, which reports directly to the presidency, is behind many of these attacks,' she added.

The CPJ has called for an immediate end to the prosecution of the journalists and their release.

Legal experts expressed surprise at the decision to charge the reporters for sedition, a British colonial law they say is widely considered void after the Supreme Court ruled in 1983 it was inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.

'What the prosecution is doing is to muscle the press,' Okey Ozoho, one of the lawyers that appeared for the journalists told the court. 'The apex court has declared the offence of sedition unconstitutional,' he said, referring to Nigeria's supreme court.

Officials in the public prosecutor's office contacted by IRIN on Wednesday declined to comment.

Obasanjo won elections in 1999 that ended a 15-year stretch of brutal military dictatorship. Nigeria's constitutional term limit prevents him from running for re-election in next year's poll.

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According to his lawyer, "Even the Supreme Court has said the offence of sedition is unconstitutional. It is a colonial offence. Belgore JSC (CJN), as he then was in a judgment declared that the offence of sedition is unconstitutional as it infringes on the rights of the press"

Where is the freedom of speech in this country for God's sake?.