Armed soldiers on Sunday, January 6, invaded Daily Trust regional office in Maiduguri, Borno state, the newspaper revealed on its site. According to the report, the soldiers arrested the regional editor, Uthman Abubakar and a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab. The newspaper said the soldiers action may be connected with the lead story of Daily Trust on on military operations in the northeast.
The soldiers shut the gate of the newspaper’s Maiduguri regional office, after arresting the two editorial staff on sight at the time of the raid. An eye-witness also noted that the soldiers requested to see Daily Trust’s political editor, Hamza Idris, whose byline appeared on the story.
Armed soldiers have now invaded Daily Trust head office in Abuja, hours after taking over the newspaper’s regional office in Maiduguri, Borno state and arrested the regional editor, Uthman Abubakar and a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab. The soldiers forced the gate open at the head office and drove in with three vans loaded with armed soldiers.
Everyone in the building was asked to move to the ground floor while they move computers. The military personnel retrieved the phones of all staff member in the office. They also loaded all computers at the head office into some of their vans before taking off. Dozens of soldiers are presently stationed within and outside the building, preventing entry and exit.
