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Jonathan Elendu held in Nigeria

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Jonathan Elendu, an online journalist based in Michigan, has been detained by security forces since he arrived in Nigeria on October 17, say Reporters Without Borders. Elendu publishes the online publication Elendu Reports. The journalist recently wrote about the economic and ecological disaster happening in the Niger delta and where the documentary filmaker Andrew Berends and his translator Samuel George were arrested and held for ten days last month,
Denying that Elendu had been arrested, [State Security Service] SSS spokesman Kenechuks Onyegogu said he had been “invited” by the SSS to explain certain matters involving “national security.” Elendu is being held at SSS headquarters in Abuja, where close relatives were refused permission to see him yesterday. “Jonathan Elendu is clearly being held by the government,” Reporters Without Borders said. “His website has become a source of serious news and information and he often writes about corruption, the situation in the Niger delta and other subjects that are sensitive in Nigeria. We call for his immediate release pending the results of the investigation.” link
BBC News has a little more on the arrest and Ghana News quotes some unnamed sources. UPDATE: 30 October Modern Ghana reports Elendu is now free,
Nigerian Curiosity just got word from Elendu's family that Jonathan Elendu has been released and is currently seeing a doctor. It is unclear whether his passport has been returned and whether there were any conditions for his release. link

3 Comments

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Beauty | October 23, 2008 8:56 PM

Who is next to be charged with Seditious libel?

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Tunde Akinloye | October 24, 2008 4:38 AM

I'm not surprised that Nigerian security officials arrested Elendu. You'd agree with me why, if you reason that this is the same country where government image makers made fool of themselves lieing openly to the 150 million people where the truth is public knowledge.



Perhaps, now the new generation of Nigerian youths would learn to take charge and elect credible leaders in future elections.

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Nigerian Entrepreneur | October 24, 2008 11:41 AM

Elendu should be charged to court if the SSS are convinced he has done something wrong. Holding him in detention and denying him access to his family is a denial of his Human Rights and conflicts with Nigerian RULE OF LAW as spelt out in the Nigerian Constitution.