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September 3, 1998
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) writes to strongly condemn the killing of Okezie Amaruben, journalist and publisher of Newsservice, by a policeman in the Enugu state police command. CPJ is deeply alarmed by this killing, which follows a history of hostility towards journalists by Nigerian authorities. On September 2, 1998, Amaruben arrived at a printer's workshop on College Road, where he encountered armed police. According to our sources, the policemen immediately subdued Amaruben, who was not allowed an opportunity to identify himself. A policeman placed a pistol to his forehead, hit him in the head area with the mouth of the pistol, and shouted at him to move. Amaruben was taken to a police vehicle, and again hit with the pistol by the policeman. A shot was fired, wounding Amaruben in the head and killing him. As a nonpartisan organization of journalists committed to the defense of our colleagues worldwide, CPJ strongly condemns the killing of Amaruben by the policeman. CPJ has learned that the policeman who shot Amaruben has been arrested. We strongly urge Your Excellency to ensure that investigation into the killing of Amaruben is thorough. We also urge Your Excellency to communicate to all police and military forces that the human rights of all people in Nigeria, including journalists, must be respected.
Sincerely, Ann K. Cooper Executive Director Join CPJ in Protesting Attacks on the Press in Nigeria
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