The offices of two privately-owned newspapers, Daily News and Standard Newspaper, were on September 14, 2012 stormed by operatives of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA), who ordered them to immediately cease publishing without giving any reason. According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources, three plainclothes officers from the NIA led by one Modou Ceesay, who carried out the order, did not provide any formal note ordering the closure. They, however, insisted that the directive was from the office of President Yahya Jammeh.
According to the sources, when Lamin Njie, the acting editor in chief of the Daily News, confronted the NIA officials, they told him to contact the office of the President for further details. The newspapers have since halted operations awaiting more information about the order. This incident comes immediately after the recent and inexplicable closure of Taranga FM, a community radio station based in Banjul, the capital, on August 14, 2012 by the NIA.
The MFWA is very surprised at both incidents and the manner in which such censorship acts are carried out- the clear refusal by the authorities to provide instant reasons and explanations for these disruptive acts. ‘
For more information please contact:
Kwame Karikari (Prof)
Executive Director
MFWA
Accra
Tel: 233-30-22 4 24 70
Fax: 233-302-22 10 84
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: www.mediafound.org