Military hand over Al Jazeera journalists to DSS

The military authorities have handed over two journalists working with Doha-based international television, Al Jazeera, to the State Security Services. The Defence authorities had said in a statement on Wednesday, last week that the two journalists were restrained for roaming in the mission area without authorisation and necessary security arrangement from the military. It was learnt that the journalists were being handed over to the leadership of the State Department for further interrogation and possible release. It was further gathered that the nation’s security chiefs had to take the precautionary measure of handing over the two journalists to the SSS to prevent people from straying into such sensitive operational areas without authorisation. It was stated that the journalists involved in the issue are Nigerians who were being treated in accordance with Nigerian laws. The source said that the military and the intelligence community would not tolerate any suspected incidence of spying. “The thing is that they are being transferred to the DSS who will handle the subsequent interrogation. “As it is expected, they would be released eventually but we are trying to pass a message that people should not violate our security procedure in the name of journalism. “Any form of suspected spying or trespassing in a restricted area would not be tolerated. “There is no cause for alarm as the journalists in question are Nigerians, and are treated according to the law. So we are just following the normal security procedure required in this circumstance.” Our correspondent could not get the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, for his comment on the new development as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.