The Nigerian Army has written PREMIUM TIMES, threatening to sue the paper for what it termed unwarranted serial provocative, unauthorised, libelous and defamatory publication” against the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a Lieutenant General, and the army’s counter-insurgency in the north-east of the country.
The letter, dated December 22, 2016, and signed by I.M Alkali, a major general, on behalf of Mr. Buratai, accused the paper of publishing reports without reference to the army, adding that its stories exposed a “deep hatred for the leadership of the Nigerian Army.”
The letter expressed displeasure with three stories published by the medium between October and December last year.
The reports were those on the planned invitation of Mr. Buratai by the Code of Conduct Bureau for asset verification, the disappearance of a high number of soldiers after a Boko Haram attack and an investigation detailing how soldiers allegedly killed a kidnapped pastor and labeled him a kidnapper.
The army in its letter described the reports as “false,” “unsubstantiated,” and “unprofessional.”
“Despite the fact that your unprofessional publications are injurious to the personality of the leadership of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Army as a whole, it may interest you to know that your attempts have failed woefully to malign and impugn the hard-earned character of the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army,” the letter said.
The letter therefore ordered PREMIUM TIMES to retract the said publications and apologise to Mr. Buratai and the Nigerian Army.

“Your retraction should be done in at least 3 national dailies and in online newspapers for 3 days consecutively from 29-31 December 2016.
“You are to also publish an apology to the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army in 3 Nigeria newspaper and online publications.
“Failure to retract and withdraw the said publications by Premium Times Services Limited on or before 31 December, 2016, the Nigerian Army team of lawyers will be instructed to proceed against you in court.”
Officials at PREMIUM TIMES said the letter from the Army Headquarters arrived the paper’s head office in Abuja a day after the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, labelled the medium a Boko Haram supporter on live television.
Contacted Wednesday for comments on the letter, Editor-in-Chief Musikilu Mojeed said, “All I can say at this point is that we stand by our stories.
“We have passed the letter to our lawyers for appropriate response. I can assure you they (the Army) will get an appropriate response before long.”
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/220177-nigerian-army-writes-premium-times-talks-tough-threatens-legal-action.html

-I LOVE CHANGE- let's enjoy it while we can.

The Nigerian Army should learn to tolerate constructive criticism and findings of investigative journalism, this is democracy.

Lt. Burutai is only trying to intimidate PTs. Not backing down is a good move from PTs.

IamPatriotic:
The Nigerian Army should learn to tolerate constructive criticism and findings of investigative journalism, this is democracy.

True Bro. I see nothing wrong from PTs actually.

PT carried far more damaging & sensitive news during the last administration, so what's the Army's problem now?

in fact, this will just lead PT to beam its search further into the affairs of this regime.

well, let's meet in court...

Buharri, gagging the media since 1984

Change in action

If the owner of Premium times is yoruba, arrest and throw him in jail. Nothing will happen. A retraction will be published in 24 hours.

PT carry on continue updating us

This government should give the media a little freedom.

What Right does the Nigeria Army has to sue Buratai when the allegation is not against the army rather Buratai

PT take am easy ooooh!

Buharii and idiocy be like yoruba girls and bleaching cream

Let's see if these guys win. If they don't they'll look worse. If the cost are very high I see Premium Times settling.

Why the army scared of those three reports by Premium Times? They should get used to democracy . . .

But this is good for democracy. The army is resorting to using legal means instead of deploying force and strong-arm tactics.

The army must be feeling they have a good case by officially writing PT and threatening legal action.

This issue is somehow sha. There is a thin line between news reporting and national security, especially if you are misled by your sources as a journalist.

for dis buratashi again in military court I guess

h

IamPatriotic:
The Nigerian Army should learn to tolerate constructive criticism and findings of investigative journalism, this is democracy.

Their pride no go gree them!

ivandragon:
PT carried far more damaging & sensitive news during the last administration, so what's the Army's problem now?

in fact, this will just lead PT to beam its search further into the affairs of this regime.

well, let's meet in court...

PT should be grateful to Buhari and his government for their support for freedom of the press, else the army would have storm their premises to sieze all copies of their papers like they usually do to newspapers during the time of Gej.



http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/162255-nigerian-military-goes-berserk-blocks-newspapers-distribution-abuja-lagos.html

So shall it be

This buhari government is hellbent on eliminating the media. The same media they used in rubbishing the previous government. Brutashit we know this truth is too bitter for you, but you must deal with it.

PremiumTime First taste of the menu you helped prepared, enjoy it and stop complaining

Are they suing in the interest of the soldiers that are fighting for their right or this is it about getting back at premium time for opening their yansh?

Very soon the media will stop writing about things like politics!


They(media) only experienced democracy during GEJ regime. Thats when u will call GEJ a tyrant and get away with it......


But in this buhari regime, just mistakenly say something against ordinary cleaner of APC and DSS ft EFCC will storm your yard!




We lost our democracy since may2015..........

Its about to get tough

Check my signature

ayindejimmy:



PT should be grateful to Buhari and his government for their support for freedom of the press, else the army would have storm their premises to sieze all copies of their papers like they usually do to newspapers during the time of Gej.



http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/162255-nigerian-military-goes-berserk-blocks-newspapers-distribution-abuja-lagos.html

very true...& thats thanks to Nigerians resisting attempts by this regime to stifle the Social Media which has regulated the print media to the background

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/194386-nigerian-senate-pushes-social-media-clampdown-bill-hits-back-at-critics.html

But why is Nigerian Army acting like Buratai's lawyer? This is a clear abuse of state's institution for personal interest.
Let Buratai write and sue PT himself rather than Nigerian Army writing PT on his behalf.
Nigerian Army belongs to us all, not to only Buratai.

Nigerian Army please allow Buratai to defend himself while you face your work!
Stop crying more than the bereaved.