Jude Sinnee, newspaper vendor
Imprisoned: March 1, 1996

Armed agents of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force arrested Sinnee, a newspaper vendor in Bori, an Ogoni settlement in Rivers State, at his newsstand. The agents also seized 500 copies of various publications and the vendor’s accumulated sales of the day. They then transported Sinnee to the Internal Security Task Force’s office at Kpor, near Bori, where he is being held incommunicado. Sinnee, who is disabled, went on a hunger strike to protest his detention.

Okina Deesor, Radio Rivers
Imprisoned: July 31, 1996

Deesor, a producer with Radio Rivers in the state of Rivers, was arrested and detained at the Government House Cell prison, reportedly without food or water. On August 3, 1996, he was transferred to the Mobile Police Headquarters in Port Harcourt. According to Maj. Obi Umabi, who ordered the arrest, Deesor’s detention was in connection with the July 18, 1996, Radio Rivers broadcast of the national anthem of the Ogoni people. In a letter to Gen. Sani Abacha, CPJ denounced Deesor’s continued detention and asked for his immediate and unconditional release. At the end of 1997, Deesor was still detained by the Rivers State Internal Task Force in Kpor.

Moshood Fayemiwo, Razor
Imprisoned: February 1, 1997

Fayemiwo, publisher of the now-defunct weekly Razor, was arrested and detained at the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) in Lagos. Fayemiwo, who had been temporarily living in exile in Cotonou, Benin, was kidnapped by Nigerian security agents and returned to Lagos. Fayemiwo was reportedly tortured and his already poor health was deteriorating when he was imprisoned.

Mohammed Adamu, African Concord
Imprisoned: July 27, 1997

Adamu, the Abuja correspondent of African Concord magazine, was arrested by three security agents at his Abuja residence. The agents did not give a reason for the arrest, but informed Adamu that he was being "invited for a chat." Friends believed Adamu’s arrest was in connection with the July 14 African Concord cover story titled "Ali Mustapha: Ruthless Man Behind Abacha."
    In a letter to Gen. Sani Abacha, CPJ called for Adamu’s immediate and unconditional release.

Soji Omotunde, African Concord 
Imprisoned: October 25, 1997

Omotunde, editor of the African Concord, was abducted by two security agents as he was driving along a street in Ikeja, in mainland Lagos. The agents tied, gagged, and bundled him into their car. He was driven to an unknown location. At the end of the year, Omotunde was still being detained, reportedly in the town of Abuja.

Jenkins Alumona, TheNEWS
Imprisoned: November 8

Three plainclothes operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) arrested Alumona, editor of TheNEWS magazine, on the premises of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), located on Victoria Island, Lagos.
    A female member of the security team approached Alumona and escorted him out of the NTA offices. Her colleagues then placed him in one of two waiting vehicles and drove him to the State Security Services detention camp in Abuja.
    Alumona was released on December 31.

Onome Osifo-Whiskey, Tell
Imprisoned: November 10, 1997

Osifo-Whiskey, managing editor of Tell magazine, was arrested by officials of the Directorate of Military Intelligence as he was on his way home from church with his family. His whereabouts and the reason for his arrest are unknown.

Akin Adesokan, Post Express
Imprisoned: November 12, 1997

Adesokan, a reporter with the Post Express newspaper, was arrested by State Security Service (SSS) officers on November 12, at the Nigeria-Benin border. He was returning to Lagos from Austria, where, as an author and member of the Association of Nigerian Authors, he had attended a four-month writer-in-residence program. The security officers apparently objected to photographs of dissidents such as Ken Saro-Wiwa that Adesokan had in his possession. Adesokan was held at the State Security Service (SSS) Detention Camp, in Ikoyi, Lagos.
    Adesokan was released on December 31.

Rafiu Salau,  TheNews/Tempo/PM News
Imprisoned: November 14, 1997

Salau, administration manager of TheNews/Tempo/PM News group, was arrested and detained at the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) in Apapa, Lagos, on November 18. Salau had gone to the offices of the DMI to check on his colleague Adetokunbo Fakeye. Fakeye, defense reporter for PM News, who had been imprisoned since October 25, was later released without charge. Salau remains in detention at DMI.

Ben Adaji, TheNews
Imprisoned: December 4, 1997
Adaji, Taraba State correspondent for TheNews magazine, was arrested by state security officers in Jalingo. He is being held at an undisclosed location.
    Security officers had launched a full-scale manhunt for Adaji. He was wanted in connection with a story titled "War in Taraba," which he wrote in the October 27 edition of the TheNews. The story detailed the build-up and outbreak of a factional conflict in the Takum district of Taraba State and the roles of some military officers in this conflict.

Niran Malaolu, The Diet 
Imprisoned: December 28, 1997

Niran Malaolu, editor of the daily newspaper The Diet, was arrested December 28 by Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) officers at the newspaper’s editorial offices. He was transported to Military Intelligence Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos, where he is being held incommunicado.