Free our men, Al Jazeera tells Nigerian military

Doha-headquartered medium, Al Jazeera, has demanded “the immediate and unconditional release” of its two Nigerian journalists “detained by the Nigerian military” in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, the defence headquarters had announced that it “restrained” Ahmed Idris (pictured) and Mustafa Andy, reporters for Aljazeera Television, for allegedly engaging in activities aimed at interfering with security operations in the northeast.

“Two journalists working for Aljazeera Television who were found to have been loitering around areas where military operations are ongoing in the North East have been restrained in Maiduguri,” it said.

“The journalists, Ahmed Idris and Mustafa Andy, who were noted to have been moving around various locations including restricted areas in Yobe and Borno state were also operating without any protection, accreditation or due clearance.

“They were accordingly monitored by military intelligence operatives until they eventually had to be restrained to their hotel in Maiduguri. This followed the increasing suspicion that their activities were aimed at interfering with the ongoing military operations in the area. The motive , activities and some material in possession of these individuals are now being investigated.

The statement reiterated the military’s “earlier warning to foreign journalists against unauthorised and unprotected movements around the military operations area”.

But Hasan Patel, senior PR officer, Al Jazeera Media Network, has told TheCable that not only are the two journalists Nigerian rather than foreign as claimed by the military, they were also duly accredited to cover the region.

“Al Jazeera demands the release of their two Nigerian journalists who have been detained in Maiduguri by Nigerian forces since Tuesday morning,” Patel subsequently said in an emailed statement.

“Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris and producer Ali Mustafa were detained in their hotel room after they were returning from covering a story on the Nigerian forces fighting Boko Haram in Borno State. The story was part of Al Jazeera’s special coverage on the Nigerian elections.

“After military officials questioned the men in their hotel rooms, their camera equipment was confiscated. Both men have been kept in their hotel rooms and are officially detained until further notice.”

The statement maintained that both men had just completed filming with the cooperation of the military.

It said both Ahmed and Mustafa were officially accredited by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja with the clearance to report from anywhere in Nigeria during the entire election period.

“The military statement also said that both men were said to be ‘loitering’ in various locations, however they were actually detained in their hotel rooms.

“The statement gave a reminder about warnings given to ‘foreign’ journalists, but both Idris and Andy are Nigerian nationals.

Idris has rich experience reporting in northern Nigeria. Last year, he was the first international journalist to reach Chibok and interview families affected by the mass kidnap of schoolgirls by Boko Haram.”

An Al Jazeera spokesperson urged the Nigerian authorities to release Ahmed Idris and Mustafa Andy, saying: “Both men had just finished filming a story on the military with their cooperation. They were not ‘loitering’, but were in the hotel room and had only passed through the restricted areas of Yobe and Borno State to get to Maiduguri.

“Both men are accredited and respected Nigerian journalists. As Nigerian citizens they are allowed to travel their country freely. Al Jazeera calls on the authorities to end this matter swiftly by returning all their equipment and releasing both men without conditions.”

Idris and Andy are part of four Al Jazeera English teams reporting on the elections, which hold on March 28 and April 11.