Obaigbena: I Was Interrogated By Five Armed Generals Under Abacha, Omenka Later Needed My Help

Chairman of the THISDAY-ARISE Global Media Group, Nduka Obaigbena, has advised Nigerian leaders against suppressing the press, stressing that their relationship with the media is essential, even after they leave office.

Obaigbena made this statement at a Nigerian Army civil-military cooperation media chat on Wednesday where he reflected on the enduring role of the media in supporting national interests, including the armed forces.

“The media is your friend. The media is there to protect everybody. So, those who find themselves in power and feel they can kill the media, when they leave power, they will need the media. The media is a friend of the armed forces of the people of Nigeria and the media will continue to work with the armed forces of the people of Nigeria.”

He recalled a harrowing encounter where he was interrogated by five armed generals after THISDAY published a series of articles against the Abacha government.

The intimidation, he said, led to his exile. However, upon his return, Obaigbena found himself aiding one of his former interrogators, Col. Frank Omenka, who had sought his help after falling out of favour with his superiors.

“My last momentous encounter with the Nigerian Army was as a guest of the security group headed by Col. Frank Omenka of the department of military intelligence. I remember THISDAY had made some publications against the Abacha government and we were invited and I was interrogated by five generals with guns on the table. After the interrogation, the tape was asked for by General Abacha and I later went on exile.

“On my return from exile, in my house I just heard knocks in my kitchen and I saw my then friend and brother, Deboye Shonekan, and he said please I have a friend to see you… he was crawling behind my kitchen and happened to be General Frank Omenka and he said Nduka please help me, Bamaiyi and co want to kill me and i asked him and said, if you had killed the media, would you have come to us for hep today? However, we assisted him as the media. So, what I am saying is the media is your friend.”

He also didn’t shy away from critiquing certain actions of the military, particularly its involvement in areas outside its mandate like Arresting protesters.

Obaigbena also called on the military to refrain from protecting election riggers, calling for transparent elections that hold governments accountable.

“Stop getting involved with arresting protesters, rather arrest kidnappers. Good governance will stop protests but Kidnappers will have to face the wrath of the law. Stop getting involved in protecting election riggers. We need proper elections for governments to be held accountable.”

Chioma Kalu

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