Posts
Nigerian blogger arrested for “sponsoring guerilla news agency”
by Scott Gilbreath ~ October 25th, 2008
A Nigerian-born, US-based blogger named Jonathan Elendu was taken into custody by State Security Service (SSS) upon arrival in Nigeria on a flight from the United States. Mr Elendu, who blogs at Elendu Reports from Lansing, Michigan, has been held without charge since last Saturday.
Nigerian newspaper P.M. News has information from unnamed sources:
[T]he publisher of an online news agency, Mr. Jonathan Elendu, was arrested for sponsoring a guerilla 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 Saharareporters, 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 a KLM Airline around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, he was immediately whisked away to the SSS headquarters, Asokoro, Abuja.
Another Nigerian blogger insists that Elendu is, in fact, not associated with Sahara Reporters and, in any case, an ambush arrest and week-long incommunicado detention are unwarranted.
[A]ssociation with Sahara Reporters on its own should not be cause for arrest, detention and the infringement of Constitutional and Human Rights. There was no need to ambush and arrest Elendu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. The SSS could simply have paid Elendu a visit at his residence and interviewed him there, after all he has not been declared a criminal and should not be treated as one simply for sharing ideas contrary to those of the status quo. […] If Elendu or anyone at Sahara Reporters has defamed anyone, then they should be sued in a court of law, not detained in an SSS cell or the like.
The SSS now say Elendu is being investigated “for matters related to sedition”, but gave no indication if or when he will be formally charged before a judge. His lawyer says he has yet to be permitted to speak with his client.
Print This Post
October 27th, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Thank you for dong a post on this story. I am adding you to the growing list of bloggers that have done so. We are organizing an online rally this Friday the 31st of October. Many of us are titling our post “FREE JONATHAN ELENDU NOW!”
Please join us. Visit NIGERIAN CURIOSITY for more details.
Thanks.
October 28th, 2008 at 01:24 PM
[...] NIGERIAN BLOGGER arrested for “sponsoring guerilla news agency” …. [...]
October 30th, 2008 at 02:36 PM
Don’t forget to join us in the online rally this Friday October 31st. Just use “FREE JONATHAN ELENDU NOW!” as the title of your blog post and FaceBook Status. Visit the Facebook page here or stop by Nigerian Curiosity.
Elendu is a Nigerian Blogger that was detained. He is now under medical care but is not free to return to his family in America. Hence the protest.
Take care!