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Daily Trust: Real reason army is after us – Editor-in-Chief, Dan Ali speaks
Editor-in-chief of Daily Trust Newspaper, Mannir Dan Ali, has reacted to the military siege on the offices of his medium nationwide.
He said the siege and subsequent arrest of some editorial staff in Maiduguri Borno state was a targeted attempt by the army to clampdown on the paper for ‘comprehensively’ reporting the many losses and defeats of the military by Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast region.
Speaking with newsmen yesterday, Dan Ali said the military authorities merely latched onto Sunday’s lead report on the newspaper which bore the bold caption: “Military prepares massive operation to retake Baga, others” to accuse the medium of ‘exposing’ the surprise strategy which the military was planning to unleash on the insurgents thereby ‘leaking’ information to the enemies.
“The military is not happy with our reporting of the Baga attacks by Boko Haram and is just using today’s story as an excuse to clamp down on the newspaper,” the Editor-in-Chief said.
However, he assured that the contentious matter of his medium’s coverage style of the anti-terror war in the Northeast was already being resolved by the government.
“Government officials are trying to resolve the matter,” he added.
Recall, a detachment of Nigerian soldiers on Sunday sealed off the Abuja headquarters of Media Trust, Limited, Publishers of Daily Trust, Weekend Trust, Sunday Trust and Aminiya, over stories related to Boko Haram insurgency.
GRASSROOTS Correspondent who monitored the activities of the operatives in Abuja reports that the six-storey building was besieged at about 6pm on Sunday.
The soldiers were said to have been led by a 2nd Lieutenant whose team ordered every staff out of the premises.
The soldiers were also said to have shut down the computers and laptops after which the items were carted away.
Staff of the company were seen loitering around MAFEMI Crescent, Off Solomon Lar Way, Utako, Abuja.
It was learnt that the soldiers, some of whose faces were masked, ordered all staff out of the building, asking them to converge at the front of the complex, where they were surrounded by some soldiers.
The staff were also asked to produce the Political Editor, Hamza Idris, who at the time was not within the complex.
A team of soldiers had equally around 4pm raided the Maiduguri Regional Office of the company in Borno State, where they were said to have arrested two senior editorial staff on hand.
The soldiers were said to have also asked for Hamza, whose byline was on the story seen as offensive by the soldiers.
Sunday Trust equally featured an Editorial opinion on January 6, 2019 which indicated that the government was running out of excuses on the Boko Haram insurgency.
Some staff of the company said that some of the soldiers who raided the office later brought a list of persons detailed for arrest after most of the staff on hand had dispersed.
The detachment of soldiers and plain-clothe operatives were still stationed in the complex to prevent any form of production as at 8.30pm on Sunday.
The soldiers were stationed at the gate entrance gate after a security man attached to the company had taken inventory of the seized items before the soldiers took them away.
News
King Charles Reportedly “Really Unwell” And Funeral Plans Are Currently Being Reviewed
King Charles III’s health is causing concern for friends and the palace as he continues to battle cancer.
“Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is … ‘It’s not good,’” Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast reported Thursday, April 25.
A friend of the monarch claimed Charles “is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” adding, “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”
Royal writer Tina Brown also hinted at the monarch’s health struggles, writing recently that Charles’ cancer has put Prince William and Kate Middleton “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.”
“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”
Sykes also reported that the king’s funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge”, are currently being reviewed.
A separate document that states what went well at Queen Elizabeth’s September 2022 funeral and what could be done better the next time a monarch dies is also circulating, according to the Daily Beast.
All the sources emphasized that royal funeral plans are constantly in review. However, one former staffer in particular conceded that Charles’ health woes have given his plans a different urgency.
“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” the former staffer explained.
“It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”
Buckingham Palace announced in February that after undergoing surgery for a benign prostate enlargement, it was discovered that the king has cancer.
We hope the king gets well soon.
News
EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members
Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.
A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.
Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.
The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.
In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.
The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”
News
Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing
Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.
This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.
Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.
While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.
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