Newspaper vendors in Aba, Abia State, are counting their losses following the confiscation of their wares by soldiers yesterday.

The Nation gathered that the confiscated papers were both unsold and new editions of New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and Authority.

Sources said the soldiers, believed to have come from 144 Battalion, which is under Ohafia 14 Brigade, stormed St. Michael’s Road at about 7am, in two Hilux vans and seized the papers bearing Biafra reports.

After attempts at arresting distributors and publishers failed, the soldiers packed the unsold and current editions of the papers and left.

A vendor said: “At about some minutes past seven, soldiers in two Hilux vans arrived with one of the vendors that they picked along Mosque, asking him to point at the person who gave him the paper. But the vendor could not, because the person who gave him the paper had gone.

“They asked to know the publishers or suppliers but got no response. Then they confiscated New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and some copies of The Authority, which carried Biafra stories. “We are yet to be told the reason for the confiscation, but the truth is that we have lost money as many readers were disappointed.”

A publisher, who pleaded for anonymity, condemned the action of the soldiers. He said they were overstepping their bounds and vowed that “attempts by the military to gag the press will fail. We are publishing reports about Biafra like other national dailies do. Let them close down all the media houses because they are carrying Biafra stories, after all, we are not the only ones publishing stories on Biafra.”

Media Officer of the 144 Brigade, Major Sydney Mbanefo could not be reached for comments but a source at 144 Battalion confirmed the seizure, saying it was due to the hate and inciting reports allegedly being published by the papers.

The source added that they were on the trail of the publishers and suppliers with the aim of nipping circulation of such inciting materials. He warned vendors to desist from selling such publication.

A Non-Governmental Organisation and Civil Rights group, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development, in a statement yesterday condemned the action. It described it as anti-democracy.

The statement by Comrades Nelson Nwafor and Emmanuel Acha said soldiers have no right to confiscate newspapers, no matter what is published, except on the orders of a competent court. It called on the Chief of Army Staff to call the soldiers to order before they take laws into their hands.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic and therefore, the principles of democracy, as practiced elsewhere, should be respected.”
http://thenationonlineng.net/soldiers-confiscate-newspapers-aba/

When the time comes, soldiers will discover that they are wasting time.......h

Soldiers doin both police job and their own. in a civilized country solider re nt even seen on the street.




Animals wit gun

Violation of rights everywhere

Buhari MAKA WHY

A pathetic situation.

Please is that how to stop Biafra??
Lol.

Buhari please call ur murderers to order, i beg of you, this is democracy, not dauracracy.

najib632:
Don't worry when the oil in the north has been drilled out we will let them go because right now if they are allowed to go the corrupt people using them to hide will successfully escape

**** everywhere!" - Nnamdi Kanu.

animals human skin every where you go.

Look at how the army guys are disgracing themselves

zoo govt will go down in history as d worsest govt eva since d creation of adam n eve.

WTF! In this democratic dispensation. What is going on in this country. Animals everywhere. Don't they know how to dialogue. Diplomacy is the key, not behaving like animal. Fvvckk!!

I laf in Ezza dialect this is how the want to stop BIAFRA

We are returning to dark age.

We are finished.

Tyranny

buhari has been a curse to this country..those of u who voted for him..shey bi una eyes don clear

What have we done to deserve Buhari

why, cant they go to SAMBISA and flex their muscle there?

Freedom of speech /press freedom isn't free again o...guess the APC Chains has caught up with it.

Oya make una come oooh
Nigeria soldiers don start again oooh
Na newspaper dem dey arrests now
Make dem pack all this soldiers go Borno State abeg

Buhari and his men are turning a menace to the society.......


Nothing can stop the actualization of the land of the rising sun

Does that really change anything?

This soldiers are too soft abeg!!

Good.

Am igbo buh this people calling for biafra non get single sense at all.

End time biafra

With the whole chest-beating on Nairaland, The Nigerian army cures them on ground.

The publishers should be arrested asap, cos all they would be doing is spread false news. The. Soldiers should have arrested the vendors sef and drown them in the river for conspiring to break the country, so next time when anonymous people bring illegal papers for you to sell you would know what to say.

Some people contradict and confuses their fowl brains oo, see comments above, Una want them to stay or not? I thought them no need Igbos. Invade East to stop Igbos to stay with Nigeria. So Igbos are over important to Una. This Suffering and smiling country self.

Ok