Operatives of the Lagos Police Command have arrested the publisher of the Biafran Times magazine at the Somolu area of the state. The prime suspect and publisher, Peter Eke, 30, who is a graduate of Public Relations from the Oko Polytechnic, Anambra state, was arrested alongside Azeez Ayoola, 30; Rafiu Qudus, 25; Adewunmi Tope, 22; Kunle Olushola, 22; Akeem Adebakin, 49; Ayodeji Gbemi, 30; Akeem Bisiriyu, 34; and Shakiru Folohunsho, 25.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the publisher and some staff of the printing company before journalists at the command headquarters Ikeja, Lagos, said the publication is a ‘seditious one that could bring disharmony and chaos in the state.
Owoseni said the command would invoke the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Lagos state on any person playing an ethnic tune and working against the unity of the Nigerian state. According to him, “the command woke up to an information about a publication of seditious materials at No. 33 Oguntolu street,” which prompted a team of policemen to be drafted to the printing company where about 515 copies of the paper were recovered, explaining that the action was in a bid to stop its circulation.
“The publication of such paper in Lagos is an offence that contravenes and is punishable under the criminal law of Lagos state. As we speak, the 10 suspects, including the publisher, are in our custody. “We have also liaised with the state Attorney General of the state; they would be arraigned in court on Monday. On his part, the publisher said: “I don’t know that publishing the Biafran Times newspaper is an offence in the state,” further explaining “actually, I have published some sporting papers in the past. Because of low patronage, I decided to publish the Biafran newspaper because I knew Igbo people who reside in Lagos would buy from me. I am only doing it to put food on my table.
“I don’t have any ulterior motive about the publication. Each time I published the sporting paper, I don’t get the same patronage I get from the Biafran Times. This is just third edition of the paper.” I was supposed to register the paper before publication, but I don’t have the financial strength. I was only trying to grow the business. I am not aware that it is an offence to publish such a paper. Eke further said, I sell between 6,000 to 7,000 copies weekly because of the name and each copy goes for N100. “I started my business from scratch, each machine I am using were bought by me. Nobody was sponsoring me to publish the paper and cause chaos in Lagos.
” One of the workers of the publishing company, Ayoola said he was only working as a contract staff. “Those of us who are working with the publisher are earning between N1,500 to N2,000. We were working on that fateful Sunday when policemen invaded our office and arrested us. “Those of us arrested were only looking for what to eat; we don’t know it is a crime to use the word Biafran.” Owoseni however, promised the residents that the Command is going to rise against any guise of people that would want to bring disharmony into the state and Nigerian in particular.
– Daly TImes
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