Document #1312898
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
PM News is a daily newspaper based
at 26 Ijaiye Rd, Ogba, Ikeja in Lagos (Africa Review World of
Information Feb. 1997). PM News was founded in August
1994 (AFP 4 Nov. 1994; Ibid. 27 Sept. 1994). According to a 13 June
1996 AFP report, PM News reaches "more than 250,000
readers daily in Lagos and other major cities in Lagos state."
According to a 24 June 1996 Inter Press Service report, Independent
Communication Limited, which has two publications in addition to
PM News, is known for its opposition to the
government.
P.M. News founder and
editor-in-chief Bayo Onanunga was the first African journalist to
win the Lord Astor Award, a prestigious award for reporters in the
British Commonwealth (AFP 4 Nov. 1994). According to a 17 August
1996 AFP report, Onanunga was detained in mid-August 1996 for one
week and released after being questioned about an article published
by his press group. The article focused on Maryam Abacha, the wife
of Nigerian head of state, General Sani Abacha (Ibid.).
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Africa Review World of
Information. February 1997. "Nigeria: Review 1997."
(NEXIS)
Agence France Presse (AFP). 17 August
1996. "Nigerian Editor Is Released." (NEXIS)
_____. 13 June 1996. "Private Newspaper
Suspends Publication." (NEXIS)
_____. 4 November 1994. " Nigeria
Journalist Becomes First African to Win Lord Astor Award."
(NEXIS)
_____. 27 September 1994. "Opposition
Newspaper Editor Arrested." (BBC Summary 29 Sept. 1994/NEXIS)
Inter Press Service. 24 June 1996.
Ojonelu Okolo. "Nigeria-Media: Fear and Poverty Dog Opposition
Press." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Africa Review World of
Information. February 1997. "Nigeria: Review 1997."
(NEXIS)
Agence France Presse (AFP). 17 August
1996. "Nigerian Editor Is Released." (NEXIS)
_____. 13 June 1996. "Private Newspaper
Suspends Publication." (NEXIS)
_____. 4 November 1994. " Nigeria
Journalist Becomes First African to Win Lord Astor Award."
(NEXIS)
_____. 27 September 1994. "Opposition
Newspaper Editor Arrested." (BBC Summary 29 Sept. 1994/NEXIS)
Inter Press Service. 24 June 1996.
Ojonelu Okolo. "Nigeria-Media: Fear and Poverty Dog Opposition
Press." (NEXIS)