[size=18pt]Nigerian journalist arrested at airport[/size]

The Nigerian-born novelist, academic and journalist, Okey Ndibe, was arrested when he flew into Lagos on Saturday. He was questioned for several hours before being released. His passports - both Nigerian and US - were confiscated.

Press freedom bodies have called on the Nigerian authorities to explain why Ndibe was held by the internal intelligence agency, the State Security Service (SSS).

Professor Ndibe, who has lived in the US since 1988, teaches English literature at Trinity College, Connecticut and at Brown University, Rhode Island.

He writes a weekly political column for Nigeria's Daily Sun and contributes regularly to Nigerian publications.

In 2007, Ndibe condemned the election of President Umaru Yar'Adua, arguing that it was fraudulent. Now a general election is due in April this year.

Writing of Ndibe's arrest, Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka wrote: "Election neurosis has clearly gripped a most insensitive and inept security apparatus."

Reporters Without Borders recorded at least 40 press freedom violations in Nigeria in 2010. Four journalists were murdered during the year. The country was ranked 145th out of 178, in the organisation's 2010 world press freedom index.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/jan/11/press-freedom-nigeria