Can we speak freely?
Our freedom of speech may be under threat.
Happy Friday, Big Brains. When Chinua Achebe wrote a whole book about Nigeria and called it “There was a country”, it all makes sense now. I wonder who is going to write a sequel for the coming generation and how much of a crazy read it’s going to be. From fraud cases to attack on freedom of speech, we really can’t catch a break.
- Margaret
Word count: ~1200
Reading time: ~ 2 mins
Let’s get into today’s edition:
Nigerian journalist resigns as First News apologises to Tinubu’s Chief of Staff for the article that led to his arrest
Former Aviation Minister and daughter plead not guilty after being arraigned by EFCC for alleged ₦2.7 billion fraud
Prince Harry and Meghan are set to touch down in Nigeria today
The Big Deal
Nigerian journalist resigns as First News apologises to Tinubu’s Chief of Staff for the article that led to his arrest
Talk is cheap everywhere except Nigeria where it can land you in jail and force you to resign from your job. Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution states that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Except if that person is Mr Segun Olatunji, the former editor of an online publication, who has resigned after a series of events that can be traced back to his report about President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. The management of the media outlet has issued an apology to Gbajabiamila, stating that the publication contained “falsehoods and fabricated stories handed out to them as facts by a misleading source.”
What’s the backstory?
In January, Olatunji who was the editor of First News, published an article which contained reports of Gbajabiamila allegedly attempting to corner $30bn and 66 houses traced to Tunde Sabiu, the former assistant of Nigeria’s previous president, Muhammadu Buhari. The article which contained a generous use of “allegedly” led to Olatunji’s arrest by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on March 15 with his whereabouts and offence unknown to his family. Thirteen days later, Olatunji was released from military detention where he was held.
This arrest caught the interest of human rights advocates and journalist bodies like the International Press Institute (IPI), the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) who asked President Tinubu to “punish” everybody behind the illegal arrest of Olatunji after he was released.
A statement by the IPI president, Musikilu Mojeed, NGE Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, and the NUJ president, Chris Isiguzo said“the actions of the DIA, General Musa, and Major General Undiandeye are against the provisions of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and other international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory – which forbid the detention of any citizen or resident beyond 48 hours, except with a valid court order. ”
If you’re wondering what happened after the journalist bodies’ called for justice for Olatunji, it was followed by radio silence from the presidency.
Olatunji has officially tendered his resignation saying that the truth will come out eventually, and it'll be his word against theirs.
Why is this a big deal?
The backbone of any democracy is an independent media. Their role is to create a connection between the masses and the government. Walter Lippmann said “a free press is not a privilege, but an organic necessity in a great society’’. In Nigeria, we rely on the press to keep us informed about everything going on in the country, especially in Aso Rock. Olatunji’s arrest poses a major threat to the freedom of press in Nigeria. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 24 journalists have been killed in Nigeria from 1992 to 2023, with one of the most unforgettable deaths being that of Dele Giwa who was killed by a bomb letter during the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in 1986.
In 2023, CPJ urged the President to take intentional steps to enhance the freedom of journalists. They also claimed that they documented intimidation attempts, physical attacks, or detentions of over 40 journalists during the last presidential and state elections. An illegal arrest of a journalist traced back to the Chief of Staff of the addressed president suggests that CPJ’s request must have gotten lost in the presidential mail.
Without freedom of press, there would be no independent report of the activities of the government and abuse of power. The citizens of a country without a free press are not free people.
Former Aviation Minister and daughter plead not guilty after being arraigned by EFCC for alleged ₦2.7 billion fraud
Nigerian politicians are giving “present father” a new meaning in 2024 and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is not a big fan. First, Yahaya Bello and his alleged $720,000 school fees and now, Hadi Sirika who was arraigned on a six-count amended charge yesterday.
Sirika allegedly used his position as the Minister of Aviation to award contracts to his daughter, son in-law and associates.
He appeared in court with his daughter Fatima, son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma, and a company called Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
Both his daughter and son-in-law pleaded not guilty when they heard the six charges against them. Their lawyers then asked for bail, which the judge granted. But it's not cheap – they need to pay ₦100 million each and find two people who promise to pay the same amount if they don't show up. If they can't pay, they'll stay in police custody until they can.
Is President Tinubu joining the league of “present fathers”?
Atiku Abubakar, former Nigerian vice president, recently claimed that the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group (the company responsible for the Lagos-Calabar coastal road construction project which led to the demolition of Landmark Beach properties) and he suggested that the contract might have been awarded for personal gains. He also criticised President Tinubu for quickly handing out the contract for the road, arguing that there are more urgent issues the country should deal with.
The House of Representatives have decided to look into how the contract for the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal road was given out after criticism from Nigerians.
And all three cases have one thing in common…
The Yahaya Bello, Sirika and Tinubu VS Atiku cases highlight a major problem that the country’s economic power might be controlled by a small group of privileged individuals at the expense of the masses.
Prince Harry and Meghan are set to touch down in Nigeria today
The Royals are coming to town! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to arrive in Nigeria this morning and they will kick off their anticipated tour in Abuja.
Abidemi Marquis, the Director of Sports at Defence Headquarters, shared that Harry, the founder of Invictus Games, will spend three days in Nigeria. Their first stop will be at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
After that, Harry and Meghan will head to Kaduna and Lagos, where they'll meet with Governors Uba Sani and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, respectively. They also have a charity they support at Wuse Light Academy, which they'll visit. And they'll drop by the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to meet injured soldiers undergoing treatment.
If you are in Abuja, we hope the universe does one of its weird tricks and causes you to run into the Royals this morning.
This Week’s Big Question
“If money was not a problem, what would you spend the rest of your life doing?”’
Margaret’s response - “I’d write a memoir at 30 without a single care in the world if anybody buys it. I’ve lived quite the life and I want to tell my story without the pressure of trying to get the bag while I’m at it.”
The Big Picks
NESG Faults Timing Of Cybersecurity Levy, Says Nigerians Battling High Food Prices: The Nigerian Economic Summit Group has asked the Federal Government to think again about the levy, pointing out that Nigerians are already struggling with lots of taxes and high prices.
NIBSS faces billion-naira lawsuit: ex-Chief Risk Officer alleges wrongful termination, fraud: Temidayo Adekanye, who used to be a chief risk officer at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), has taken legal action against the company. He claims they fired him unlawfully a few months after he spoke up about money problems.
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