Armed soldiers on Sunday invaded the headquarters of Daily Trust newspaper in Abuja and regional offices in Borno and Kaduna, arresting the editor of the regional office in Maiduguri, Uthman Abubakar, along with a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab.
It was also learnt that the soldiers took away computers, laptops and other properties from the newsroom during the raid.
The official reason for the action could not be ascertained, but it was gathered the incident might not be unconnected with the lead story of Daily Trust on Sunday on military operations in the North East.
The paper had reported that the military plans to reclaim Baga and other communities taken over by Boko Haram some weeks ago.
The military authorities had earlier claimed that no territory was being occupied by the insurgents.
Before the raid on the newspaper’s office in Abuja, military operatives were said to have also stormed the paper’s regional office in Maiduguri, Borno State, arresting the regional editor, Uthman Abubakar and a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab.
Daily Trust reported that the soldiers shut the gate of the Maiduguri regional office after arresting the two editorial staff on sight at the time of the raid.
A witness said the soldiers requested to see the paper’s political editor, Hamza Idris, whose byline appeared on the story.
This is the second time in five years the military will be clamping down on the publishers of the newspaper.
