From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
Armed military men have continued to lay siege in the last four days in Minna, the state capital, impounding copies of some newspapers and refused the sales of those affected newspapers in Niger state.
Despite denial by the defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade that the military has found nothing wrong with the editorial content of the affected papers, which include The Nation, LEADERSHIP and Daily Trust newspapers officers and men of 31 Field Artillery Brigade are yet to allow the sale of three newspapers on the newsstand.
As at 6:00 am yesterday parcels of LEADERSHIP newspapers were impounded at Kilometre-10 military check point in Minna, while another set of armed soldiers stormed the distribution centre at “Fleet Street” in town searching for any of the three titles being sought for by the military command.
Since last Friday the armed men stationed at the distribution centre usually left for their barracks at about 11:42 am when they were satisfied that no paper was coming for the day again.
The Chairman, Niger state Newspaper Vendors and Distributors Association, Mr. Festus Elijah confirmed the fears of his members and said “we are ready to sell any paper, but you have to help us extract assurance that no member of the association will be harassed by the soldiers.
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