Military hand over Al Jazeera journalists to DSS

Military hand over Al Jazeera journalists to DSS

The military authorities on Saturday handed over two journalists
working with Doha-based international television, Al Jazeera, to the
State Security Services.
The Defence authorities had said in a statement on Wednesday, last
week that the two journalists were restrained for roaming in the
mission area without authorisation and necessary security arrangement
from the military.
It was learnt that the journalists were being handed over to the
leadership of the State Department for further interrogation and
possible release.
It was further gathered that the nation’s security chiefs had to take
the precautionary measure of handing over the two journalists to the
SSS to prevent people from straying into such sensitive operational
areas without authorisation.
It was stated that the journalists involved in the issue are Nigerians
who were being treated in accordance with Nigerian laws.
The source said that the military and the intelligence community
would not tolerate any suspected incidence of spying.
“The thing is that they are being transferred to the DSS who will
handle the subsequent interrogation.
“As it is expected, they would be released eventually but we are trying
to pass a message that people should not violate our security
procedure in the name of journalism.
“Any form of suspected spying or trespassing in a restricted area
would not be tolerated.
“There is no cause for alarm as the journalists in question are
Nigerians, and are treated according to the law. So we are just
following the normal security procedure required in this circumstance.”