Why Elendu Was Arrested-PM News

Last View on Tue 21st October, 2008
Last Modified on Mon 20th October, 2008 9:51:48 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

By Jide Osokoya

Fresh reports reaching P.M.News from Abuja this morning has revealed that the publisher of an online news agency, Mr. Jonathan Elendu, was arrested for sponsoring a guerrilla news agency.

It was gathered that the United States-based online publisher, who was arrested on Saturday on arrival in Nigeria, was allegedly linked to Saharareporters, an online Nigerian news agency.

Our source revealed that Sahareporters which is known for alleged subversive reports against the federal government and important personalities in the country, was allegedly the brain child of Elendu.

It was further learnt that when Elendu was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja as soon as he arrived via KLM Airline around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, he was immediately whisked away to the SSS headquarters, Asokoro, Abuja.

Said our sources: “The hefty publisher was accosted on arrival by two SSS operatives who told him that he was being invited for a chat with their boss, he responded that since it was an invitation, they should give him time to go home and freshen up.

“The security operatives turned down his request, seized his international passport and whisked him away, only for him to remain incommunicado since then.”

Elendu’s family members expressed concern and worry over the state of his health, as nobody has been able to communicate with him since Saturday.
As at the time of this report, his lawyers were preparing papers to fight for the enforcement of his fundamental human right.

Our Note:
The cowardly act of harassing and arresting citizens for exercising their fundamental freedoms is totally condemnable and we hope that Nigerians at home and abroad we condemn the violation of the rights of Mr. Jonathan Elendu by the illegitimate Yar'adua regime. However, we should state that Mr. Elendu is not connected with the SaharaReporters in any shape or form, he publishes an independent blog (Elendureports) that predates SaharaReporters, arresting, detaining and harrasing an innocent Nigerian based on the suspicion that he works for SaharaReporters is not only condemnable, but also fruitless, since no amount of such callous acts will deter or restrict the publication of hard -hitting evidence-based reports from our ever reliable team members.

I suppose they don't like his style of investigative journalism

upon all the abuse, OBJ no arrest any journalist oh!!!

mikeansy:

upon all the abuse, OBJ no arrest any journalist oh!!!

how are you sure, obj didnt leave them a note to go after them

http://elendureports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=696&Itemid=1

see how these people are marginalising us

someone alert CNN and BBC on this fast

inquisitiv:

someone alert CNN and BBC on this fast

even when he is guilty as charged?

well yaradua is now showing his TRUE COLORS.

They came for the jews, I was not a jew so I did not speak up.

They came for the journalist, I was not a journalist so I did not speak up

They came for me and there was nobody left to speak for me.

Here we go again; another round of dark clouds gathering over the land.

mikeansy:

upon all the abuse, OBJ no arrest any journalist oh!!!

ow abt gbenga aruleba of AIT? AIT premise demolitn/clampdwn durin 3rd term bid nko?

:-x

His excelency has to be carefull of his own men,

I kept wondering how such vital information can be made known to the reporters if thers nothing behind it,

The SSS self should be proved, I mean his own Securities,Cooks, Gardners, his drivers, his Pilot  even family members because anybody can be used by the devil.

I think what they did in Arresting Jonathen Elendu is right, but they would have made it a legal arrest( i mean Coded) so that they can teach him a lesson,


Although Nigeria is Bad but don't mess with the Federal GOvernment,

Yar dua is an Action Man, But Mistakingly went to PDP,

All the same, His still doing His Job.

PepERSprAY:

even when he is guilty as charged?

Guilty as charged with commiting what crime? But for Elendu and Sowore of Saharareporters, a lot of Nigerians would have been kept in the dark of some shady dealings by the Nigerian government like the 3rd term agenda of the former presiden and the thieving tendencies of some of our leaders, past and present.

We are all familiar with all this underhand preudo-dictatorial gimmicks. Small time now, dem go stage coup talk say na dis journalist support the coup plotters like they did to Chris Anyanwu and co. God has put all of them to shame!!!

I for one am glad this rascal is in trouble. This is a fellow who insisted that the Beechcraft disaster was a hoax, that he had credible information that the Plane was flown out with Ibori/Odili's loot. Do you know the kind of emotional trauma this might have cost the widow of the pilot, or the relations of the air hostess? Only for them to find the wreckage of the plane a short while ago.

His style of junk journalism must be condemned. It's one thing to run an underground news agency, it's another to spread falsehood.

Some of the responses I've read on this thread are scary, to say the least.

How can someone, anyone, support this kind of illegality? Since when did they remove the provision in the Nigerian constitution which provides for freedom of "expression of opinion"?

This will set a precedent and if Nigerians do not rise up now and denounce this behaviour with one voice, we will see another arrest and another and it will go on until a journalist is killed. By then, it will be too late to ask questions of our leaders as they will have succeeded in putting the fear of God into us.

The country is the way it is today because Nigerians are too cowardly to ask questions and demand answers of our leaders. The few of us who manage to do that are derided by our own, even while we wallow around in our poverty and darkness while these so-called leaders stuff themselves with whatever they can lay their hands on (to our and our children's peril, I might add).

Until we rise up as one and demand our leaders show responsibility and accountability, we will never get out of this mud-hole in which we are today, spin it as you may.

And one wonders why Nigerians are running away from their own country,

@pie 1ect
While you sermonize about 'accountability and responsibility', note that our own journalists should also show responsibility and accountability too. In all of Nairaland i doubt there's anyone else as passionate about free speech as i am, yet i know junk journalism when i see it.

He was arrested by the SSS for reasons best known to them. Until we see the charges levelled against him, any attempt to rise to his defence is simply a knee jerk reaction. What if there's something he's really guilty of?

inquisitiv:

someone alert CNN and BBC on this fast

CNN or BBC? I thought that after the British Airways thingy some Nigerians formed an NGO to 'counter the abuse of Nigerians worldwide'. Or does it only matter when westerners are involved?

I have never believed that Yar'dua will respect the law. Maybe Elendu worked for Channel TV as well. How can you expect someone who stole elections to respect the law? Its like hoping that your kid whose way through medical school was bribed would finally learn and become a Cardiologist. Or would allow your son to represent you in a very serious court case that may involve life or death when you know that he paid bribe in order to pass his bar exam?

texazzpete:

I for one am glad this rascal is in trouble. This is a fellow who insisted that the Beechcraft disaster was a hoax, that he had credible information that the Plane was flown out with Ibori/Odili's loot. Do you know the kind of emotional trauma this might have cost the widow of the pilot, or the relations of the air hostess? Only for them to find the wreckage of the plane a short while ago.

His style of junk journalism must be condemned. It's one thing to run an underground news agency, it's another to spread falsehood.

shocking statement from you!

Nigerian law says you must be charged to court with 48hours.

He has been arrested since Saturday, thats 144hours.

Yaradua has exposed himself as not different from Abacha.

@all
I am shocked about the reaction of some Nairalanders on this issue. The issue calling for attention is not whether Jonathan Elendu is guilty or not. The issue is that the RULE OF LAW is being set aside by those who are supposed to defend it.

If the man has committed a crime, he should be charged to a court of law and prosecuted. Not detained and denied his basic human rights.

I don't know Jonathan Elendu and I don't like talking about Nigerian politics, but keeping quiet about this will encourage the government to continue with such illegality. Maybe someone is even imagining arresting those Nairalanders who have been airing their opinion about political activities in Nigeria.

Nigerian constitution does not permit what the SSS is currently doing by holding Elendu in detention and not charging him to court.

For those who feels Elendu deserve the treatment, I wonder what your opinion will be if SSS were to come after you for posts made by you on Nairaland that is in CONFLICT with Government opinion! Remember Elendu is based in US, some of us nairalander live in Nigeria, so catching up with us won't be that difficult.

If you think you are covered by the nickname you're using, you are making a huge mistake. Anyone online can be tracked down and the veil of anonymity removed. It will only take time and resources. If you doubt it, do a little research online, you will be soon discover that you are not as safe as you thought online!

Two wrongs cannot make a right. If Elendu has done anything wrong, let him be charged to COURT! Period. He MUST be adjudged innocent until proven guilty by a COURT OF LAW!

NaijaEcash, I share your sentiments completely.

It doesn’t matter what your view point is and I am talking about Elendu, it’s your right to disagree with him not to arrest him, what happened to freedom of expression. The reality is that irrespective of our supposed democracy there is no real rule of law in Nigeria, you buy justice at your own terms.

When a TV channel was closed down for quoting another agency was anybody held culpable and convicted, No.

Once again we are in the same position the SSS, police, etc are used as political thugs to deal with those considered as adversaries by Yaradua and Co.

This is not supposed to be a dictatorship but with no clear separation of powers and with both legislative houses in bed with the executive, what else can you expect.

Sad So Sad!!!!!!!!
Comments not the usual vibrancy associated with Landers.
Hope we are are not personalizing this matter.
If we condemn him why do you fight for FOIC bill?
I'm sad true I am sad

Nigeria can never move forward with all those bullshit and shenanigans

texazzpete:


While you sermonize about 'accountability and responsibility', note that our own journalists should also show responsibility and accountability too. In all of Nairaland i doubt there's anyone else as passionate about free speech as i am, yet i know junk journalism when i see it.

What are you talking about? Is there any stipulation regarding 'junk journalism' in the Nigerian constitution? It is not a crime to be a "junk journalist". It is only in countries like Nigeria that something like this will happen and the main stream media will chicken out of it.
"Freedom of speech" is a clear statement. It does not need further explanation, so please don't try to educate me on how legal this arrest was, cos' it aint. It's clear for everyone to see (except you were asleep during the Abacha years), this is throw-back to what we witnessed during that period and I say it very clearly again - If Nigerians do not rise up and condemn this behaviour now it's just in the early stages, we will see more of this and even worse will follow.

If this guy were related to you, would you condone this silly behaviour by the Nigerian government? Wouldn't you be shouting from the rooftop about the violation of the guys' fundamental rights as a citizen of Nigeria?

He was arrested by the SSS for reasons best known to them. Until we see the charges levelled against him, any attempt to rise to his defence is simply a knee jerk reaction. What if there's something he's really guilty of?

I hope there is some other reason, cos' if it has to do with his style of journalism, this is complete and utter BS and it's high time the Nigerian government stops this practice of intimidating Nigerians in their own country.

I don't know Jonathan Elendu and I don't like talking about Nigerian politics, but keeping quiet about this will encourage the government to continue with such illegality. Maybe someone is even imagining arresting those Nairalanders who have been airing their opinion about political activities in Nigeria.
Nigerian constitution does not permit what the SSS is currently doing by holding Elendu in detention and not charging him to court.

I completely agree.

Our leaders should learn to be diplomatic and stop acting blindly.

This is gross violation of human freedom, what exactly is going on in this country? if things are not done on time it will get to a stage where all Nigerians mouth will be padlock with iron and can be re-open at a required time by this useless people. Don't they reason at all? or has his epilepsy health begging to affect his brain? as it's going on couple with our mumucious style i can't predict the level of its wost ramifications.

Great duddddd,

Jonathan Elendu was arrested cos we live in the lopsided era of the RULE OF LAW. May the law triumph.

@pie1elet,

I have a problem getting the sincerity and intelligence of your posts. simple

[deleted]

@pie1elet,

I have a problem getting the sincerity and intelligence of your posts. simple

My bro, What don't you get? That we should denounce this sort of behaviour by the Nigerian govt or that Nigerians have to speak up to forstall this sort of thing repeating itself in the future?

It's a simple choice really - We could decide to keep our mouths shut until our relatives are victims of this sort of callousness or we could decide to let the government know we as a people won't be bullied anymore.

I agree with those that are speaking up against the illegal activities of the Nigerian government. Its over one week and Mr. Elendu is still in custody and neither his lawyer nor his family has seen or spoken to him. Now the EFCC is holding and torturing him. Maybe they have murdered him and disposed his body. This government has now taken us to a new era. This can be you or me. Arrest, detain, torture and murder without charges and or legal representative. People are not disappearing some by kidnappers (sponsored by ??), some by the government and some by

imagine george bush sending the FBI to arrest , keith olberman or chris mathews, lol,

Yardua is turning into a mini dictator, so it is now illegal for one to criticize or say anything negative about him and his sorry ass government again??!!!