Zamfara govt directs emirs not to talk to press without permission

[MrVan]

The Zamfara State Government has directed all emirs in the 17 emirates of the state not to talk to the media without clearance from the government.

Vanguard

[MyInfoStride]

Nigerian millitocrazy! Why the order? Is there no democracy again? Where lies our freedom of speech in Nigeria? What kind of permission do they need to attend to the media? To get their speech censored? Nigeria has a long way to go... Believe!

[emezico]

The complete story below:


The Zamfara State Government has directed all emirs in the 17 emirates of the state not to talk to the media without clearance from the government.

The directive from the Office of the Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs stated that traditional rulers must get permission from the commissioner's office or from the chairman council of chiefs.

Addressing newsmen, the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin Magaji said the order was a "limited one where the traditional rulers are not allowed to speak on policy matters", stressing that it was a temporary measure.

The commissioner further said that the emirs were not allowed to talk on sensitive issues that might cause conflicts between emirates or create fora for personal attacks among the people of different emirates.

Magaji said some highly placed traditional rulers had in the past made statements against their counterparts "which turned out to be embarrassing to everybody.

"These are some of the things we are trying to avoid so that there will be peace and harmony in our society,' 'he said.