According
to Punch, President Goodluck Jonathan’s handlers on Monday began what is
suspected to be a clampdown on journalists.
Their
first victim is Mr. Ubale Musa, the State House correspondent of German Radio,
Deutsche Welle.
Musa’s
accreditation tag was withdrawn by security operatives attached to the
Presidential Villa.
The
embattled journalist was expelled from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for
asking visiting Chadian President, Idriss Derby, a question authorities found
to be embarrassing.
Musa
had asked the visiting President to explain the relationship between the
multinational task force fighting in Lake Chad and the South African
mercenaries fighting with them.
Derby
simply responded that he had no information concerning mercenaries from
South Africa.
Shortly
after the visiting President left, Musa was invited by security operatives and
his tag was withdrawn.
Security
operatives thereafter drove him in a vehicle out of the forecourt of the
President’s office through the Service Chiefs’ Gate.
When
he told the operatives that some of his work tools were still inside the Press
Gallery where journalists operate from, the operatives led him to the hall to
retrieve his belongings and led him out of the Villa again.
Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, was said to
have assured a delegation of State House correspondents who met him on the
matter that the issue would be resolved appropriately.
As
of the time of filing this report, however, Musa’s accreditation had not yet
been restored.
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