Army releases Daily Trust editor

The Nigerian Army Tuesday released the detained Maiduguri Bureau Chief of Daily Trust, Uthman Abubakar.

Abubakar, who has been in the Army’s custody since Sunday afternoon, was brought back to the Maiduguri office by an unnamed Major General who handed him over to a Security Officer at the office.

The release was announced by the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan-Ali.

However, Abubakar said his mobile phones and laptop are still with the military. They told him that they need time to finish the forensic checks they are carrying out on the equipment.

The Editor-in-Chief added that computers and laptops taken from the Abuja head office have similarly not been returned.

Personnel of the army had on Sunday invaded Daily Trust offices in Maiduguri, Abuja and Lagos.

The troops arrested Abubakar and a reporter, Ibrahim Sawab. Although Sawab had earlier been released.

A source at the Daily Trust said the arrest of the journalist may be connected to the newspaper lead story on Sunday.

The army said Daily Trust was culpable of strengthening the Boko Haram insurgency group with its Sunday Trust lead story, where it disclosed information of the military as regards fight against the terrorists.

The army said, “The disclosure of classified security information amounts to a breach of national security and run contrary to Sections 1 and 2 of the Official Secrets Act.”

He explained that the information published by Daily Trust “afforded the Boko Haram terrorists prior notice of our plans and giving them an early warning to prepare against the Nigerian military, thus sabotaging the planned operations and putting the lives of troops in imminent and clear danger.”