Nigerian Blogger Arrested!!!

October 24, 2008 by NaijaEcash
Filed under: Blogging, Nigerian 

Jonathan Elendu

Jonathan Elendu

Jonathan Elendu a Nigerian blogger who is based in US was arrested on Saturday 18th October upon arrival in Nigeria, for “sponsoring a guerrilla news agency”. When Nigerian Curiosity dropped a note for me on the issue, I thought it was a joke, but alas it is real!

Jonathan Elendu is the blogger behind Elendu Reports. His writings focus on events happening in Nigeria and his articles covers activities of political office holders. I am not a fan of political news, and I simply prefer talking about financial survival in Nigeria above other national issues. However, I owe a duty to my conscience to decry this infringement of Mr. Jonathan Elendu’s basic human right. If he has committed a crime, he should be charged to court and not held indefinitely while being denied access to his family.

Article 19 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights says

“Everyone has right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The spoke-person for the SSS was quoted as saying that Elendu activities have generated “national security issues” Everyone is wondering how the articles on Elendu Reports can be classified as such. If he is being held for another reason, it is necessary that the SSS make a press statement. Meanwhile, he should be charged to court immediately so that he can enforce his rights. The Nigerian constitution does not permit holding a citizen beyond 24hours! The SSS is not above the law (I hope).

I hereby call on all fellow Naija brothers and sisters at home and abroad to cry against this inhuman treatment of a fellow Nigerian.  We must not go back to the pre-1999 days, when anything can be classified as “Treasonable Offense”

Nigerian Curiosity is keeping an update on this issue. Committee To Protect Bloggers is also keeping an update. Please do what you can. Digg, Stumble this post or any of the two links to create awareness online and attract the attention of the international community to intervene and press for the release of Jonathan Elendu. Remember, evil thrives when good people keep quiet!

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • StumbleUpon

Hi, nice of you to visit again. I do hope you got some useful information. If you have not done so yet, I encourage you to subscribe to my RSS feed. That way you will not miss any update. Kindly share your feelings in the comment section. Cheers!

Related Posts

Tags: , ,

Comments

9 Comments on Nigerian Blogger Arrested!!!

  1. Victor on Fri, 24th Oct 2008 12:52 pm

    2. Hi,
    I would like to request for further updates if possible from your ends when and if Elendu get charged or released, so that I can keep the CPB site updated.
    Cheers.

  2. NaijaEcash on Fri, 24th Oct 2008 2:02 pm

    3. @Victor
    I will keep you update if I get any fresh news. Cheers.

  3. naijacampusforum on Fri, 24th Oct 2008 5:27 pm

    4. This is my first time of hearing about this. I wonder when all these rubbish of denying citizens their right will stop in Nigeria.
    RIGHT DENIED SOMEWHERE IS JUSTICE DEPRAVED EVERWHERE!

    naijacampusforums last blog post..Chevron Jobs!

  4. eranda on Fri, 24th Oct 2008 6:27 pm

    5. I will help you get more exposure to this one. We can’t simply let things like this happen. Keep us posted on updates please.

    erandas last blog post..How to sell wholesale without having any stock or capital?

  5. Scribe on Tue, 28th Oct 2008 1:05 pm

    6. This is bad news. I thought Nigeria is running a democratic government.

  6. Ife on Tue, 28th Oct 2008 10:45 pm

    7. This is sad.
    Nigeria is indeed in a sorry state.

  7. solomonsydelle on Thu, 30th Oct 2008 6:42 pm

    8. Don’t forget to join us in the online rally this Friday October 31st. Just use “FREE JONATHAN ELENDU NOW!” as the title of your blog post and FaceBook Status. Visit the Facebook page here or stop by Nigerian Curiosity.

    Elendu is a Nigerian Blogger that was detained. He is now under medical care but is not free to return to his family in America. Hence the protest.

    Take care!

  8. FREE JONATHAN ELENDU NOW! | Nigerian Entrepreneur - NaijaEcash on Fri, 31st Oct 2008 4:17 pm

    9. [...] days ago, I wrote about Jonathan Elendu’s. He is a Nigerian blogger who lives in US. He was arrested by the Nigerian State Security Service, [...]

  9. Abdullahi E. Abubakar on Fri, 17th Jul 2009 6:27 pm

    10. The case of Jonathan Elendu is a clear reflection of the fact that the democracy in Nigeria is nothing but “democrazy”. This honestly, reduces The Nigeria image to rubish before the international community. I ask that Elendu be released immediatly to save us from global humiliation and embarrasment. Campagn for Jonathan Elendu’s freedom just begin.

Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!