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Friday, October 14, 2011

President Jonathan’s Intervention Frees The Nation’s Editor

THE intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, ensured the release of the Managing Editor, Northern Operations of The Nation newspapers, Alhaji Yusuf Ali.

Ali, who was arrested alongside the Abuja Bureau Chief of the newspaper, Mr Yomi Odunuga on Tuesday was further detained on Wednesay when the police ordered the release of Odunuga and the News Editor, who was arrested in Lagos and flown to Abuja.

Ali was released from police custody after a short visit to the Force Headquarters, where the Inspector General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, confirmed the presidential directive to release the journalist.

Ali, who was released at about 1.30 p.m. told newsmen that his release was a testimony to the intervention of many well-meaning Nigerians.

He said that the swoop on his company's  offices in Lagos and Abuja was deplorable but that he was grateful to all those who made his release possible.

The national president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Mohammed Garba, said the release of the journalist was a good signal that presupposed that the media was being seen as partners in the democratic process.

Ali was earlier in the day taken to the Force Headquarters from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Area 10, Abuja, where he had been detained since Tuesday.

The police had said he was going to be charged to a magistrates' court.

Two lawyers, Mr Femi Falana and Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Ugochukwu Osuagwu, were waiting to take Ali's bail applications, but, on arrival at the Force Headquarters, the situation changed, as both the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke and the IGP confirmed presidential orders to release the journalist.

It was also confirmed that Adoke had visited Ali's detention camp on Wednesday night and also impressed it on the IG to leave the editor off the hook.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, has insisted that the arrest of editors of The Nation newspapers did not amount to intimidation of the press, saying that the action was normal in the course of the statutory duties of the police.

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