Nigeria

New York, October 31, 2008--Nigeria's national security agency today confirmed it is holding a U.S.-based Nigerian blogger in the capital, Abuja. This is the second online journalist held for questioning in the past two weeks.

New York, October 16, 2008--Nigerian journalist Eiphraim Audu was shot by six unknown gunmen near his home on Wednesday in Lafia, central Nigeria, local journalists and the Nigerian Union of Journalists told CPJ.

CPJ interviewed documentary filmmaker Andrew Berends and producer Aaron Soffin at CPJ's headquarters in New York. Berends spent 10 days in the custody of Nigeria's State Security Services in Port Harcourt, from August 31 to September 9. He had been in the country for six months working on his film "Delta Boys." Soffin worked to get Berends released.

CPJ: Tell us about your film.

BERENDS: The film focuses on the militants in the region, but it's really dealing with what it's like living in the Niger Delta, a region that produces enormous amounts of oil. Billions of dollars of oil get pumped out of the Niger Delta, but in some places the people live in abject poverty. There is a lot of frustration over that. The militants claim they are fighting for more resource control. And there's a huge amount of corruption within the local government and then also among some of the militants who are supposedly fighting against that.

New York, September 18, 2008--The Nigerian government should immediately lift its suspension of Channels TV and release four staff members being held by State Security Services, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Security agents closed the Lagos and Abuja offices of Channels TV on Tuesday after the station mistakenly aired a fabricated report that President Umaru Yar'Adua might step down for health reasons, according to Channels TV Chairman John Momoh and the Lagos International Press Centre.

New York, September 16, 2008--CPJ condemns the ongoing harassment of translator Samuel George in Port Harcourt. Security services officers have ordered George to report to their offices on September 26, although no charges have been brought against him in the two weeks he has been made to report repeatedly.

We are deeply concerned about the welfare of translator Samuel George who has been under interrogation by State Security Services in Port Harcourt since August 31. He was arrested with American documentary filmmaker Andrew Berends while they were filming at the Nembe waterside in Port Harcourt. Joe Bussio, who provided accommodation for Berends in Port Harcourt during the filming, was also arrested. No official charges have been brought against any of them. Berends was finally allowed to leave the country on Tuesday.

New York, September 9, 2008—U.S. filmmaker Andrew Berends, detained by Nigerian security officials for 10 days, was aboard a flight to Germany late today, two U.S. State Department officials told the Committee to Protect Journalists. Berends, the focus of an international advocacy effort, was scheduled to fly from Frankfurt, Germany,...

New York, September 9, 2008—Nigerian Sen. Chris Anyanwu urged the ministers of information and defense today to assist in the immediate release of American filmmaker Andrew Berends and Nigerian translator, Samuel George. Anyanwu, a prominent former journalist, also urged that the government undertake formal discussions with the media to avoid...

New York, September 8, 2008--U.S. filmmaker Andrew Berends continues to be interrogated by security forces in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, while authorities have told translator Samuel George to report to security in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, local journalists told CPJ. Today marks the ninth day security forces have conducted day-long interrogations...