James Ogogo

Concord Times

January 8, 1999, in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Ogogo, a Nigerian journalist for the independent Concord Times, was murdered by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in Freetown on the evening of January 8. An eyewitness reported that a group of rebels sought out Ogogo at the newspaper's offices on Pademba Road, shouting that they were "looking for the Nigerian journalist."

The rebels tied Ogogo to the back of a truck and dragged him in the direction of the State House. Before reaching the State House, the rebels stopped the truck, untied Ogogo, and told him to start walking. They then opened fire and killed him.

RUF rebels regarded Nigerian journalists as partisans of the Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force (ECOMOG), which was brought in to support government troops in the ongoing civil war in Sierra Leone.

Medium: Print

Job: Print Reporter

Beats Covered: War

Gender: Male

Local or Foreign: Local

Freelance: No

Type of Death: Murder

Suspected Source of Fire: Political Group

Impunity: Yes

Taken Captive: Yes

Tortured: No

Threatened: No

Related Articles:

• Two journalists killed by gunmen; two others wounded , May 25, 2000
• Attacks on the Press 1999: 1999 Death Toll: Listed by Country, March 22, 2000
• Attacks on the Press 1999: Sierra Leone, March 22, 2000