The recent sporadic seizures of newspaper copies and invasion of newspaper distribution centres by the Nigerian military under the guise of ensuring national security provokes serious concerns over the democratic principles of free expression.
Coming at a time when Nigerians are critical of the efforts of the military and the Federal government towards the handling of the insurgency in the northeast, and the wrongful ban on Chibok girls protests in the FCT, there are fears that the country is steadily sliding into a totalitarian state where national security is synonymous with the security concerns of a few- the members and cohorts of the ruling party.
That broadcast stations are now being directed to notify the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) in the event of live political programmes is also a clear evidence that there is a new obnoxious regime of media censorship that is meant to gag the opposition or repress dissenting opinions whilst promoting the views and agenda of the ruling party.
This selfish group seeking agenda is a glaring indication of how uncomfortable the ruling party is over the critical expressions of the citizenry of its lack lustre performance in the area of security challenges in the northeast.
We believe that shutting down free expression is not a realistic and enduring solution. This retrogressive strategy borne of rabid fear is counter productive and would rather overheat the polity whilst pushing more people to the side of the opposition.
The current overzealous attitude of security agencies in the fight against free expression should rather be deployed to check the perennial killings of innocent Nigerians by the Boko Haram insurgents.
National security borders essentially on the security of lives and property of Nigerians not the perpetuation of the parochial self-preservative interests of the ruling class.
We perceive hypocrisy in the Federal government’s call on politicians not to engage in acts that would overheat the polity while agencies of the state are busy pursuing activities that repress freedom, jeopardise fruitful discourse and threaten democratic values.
The contest for political offices in 2015 should be done in the spirit and ethos of fair play, equity, trust in the democratic proces and with an impartial security apparatus that understands that national security is not the protection of one group to the detriment of other groups.
We join all well meaning Nigerians to urge the Presidency, the National Assembly and all relevant agencies of the state to put an end to all forms of totalitarianism and let Nigerians express their right to free expression in all ramifications.
