its membership of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria,
NPAN.
The company communicated the decision to the NPAN in a letter
dated Thursday, December 17 and signed by its chairman, Wale
Aboderin.
“After a careful review of recent, and still unfolding, developments,
Punch Nigeria Limited is suspending its membership of the
Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria until further notice.
This suspension takes effect immediately
“The public will recall the criminal charges levelled against a former
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and several other alleged
accomplices.
“These charges border on the diversion of public funds, totalling $2.1
billion, allocated for the purchase of arms to prosecute the war
against terrorism.
“The revelations indicate that the sum of N120 million was disbursed
in murky circumstances to some member-companies of NPAN,
ostensibly as compensation for the losses they incurred in June 2014
when armed soldiers seized newspapers and newspaper distribution
vans.
“The source of this money and the manner of its receipt, allegedly
through a company called General Hydrocarbons, which is unknown
to NPAN, have raised public concerns about the integrity of the press
in Nigeria.
“The unfolding scandal has equally cast a shadow on the reputation of
the mass media,” the paper said.
PUNCH also said it had always held that state-sponsored attacks
against the media should be challenged in the open, boldly and
vigorously.
The company however cited an example of the redress it sought over
similar circumstance two decades ago.
“It was for this reason that we instituted an action against the federal
government at the Federal High Court, Lagos, on June 13, 1994.
“Among other reliefs, the company sought compensation for the June
11, 1994 invasion of our premises by a combined team of policemen
and State Security Service agents who shut down our operations and
detained our staff.
“Suffice to say that the case is currently at the Supreme Court where
the federal government is seeking to overturn the judgment of Justice
T.A. Odunowo, who declared the invasion illegal and awarded PUNCH
the sum of N25m in damages,” the company said.
It said it had for long held a position that the relationship between an
independent press association and the government should be properly
defined to preserve, at all times, the independence of the press and
the sacred duty of the mass media as the watchdog of society.
“This informed our decision to promptly refuse to file any backdoor
claim for compensation for the losses we incurred during the military
assault of June 2014.
“PUNCH’s reputation, integrity, independence and high ethical
standards are well known.
“Our readers trust their newspaper and believe that our editorial
content is not influenced by pecuniary, political or personal interests.
“PUNCH remains committed to the vision of its founding fathers and
the best traditions of a free press.
“We believe in an independent and unfettered mass media, trusted by
the public and all stakeholders.
“We have sustained losses, suffered closures and endured privations
in the past for our beliefs.
“We have remained, and will remain, steadfast in the defence of the
ideals of responsible journalism; hence, our decision.
“We reiterate the need to rebuild and refocus the NPAN as a vibrant,
independent business association and pressure group, funded only by
its member-organisations.
“We will ONLY reconsider our withdrawal from NPAN when the
critical issues which we, and other concerned stakeholders, have
raised are addressed,” the paper said.
Investigations into how $2.1billion allegedly meant for arms
procurement was spent had revealed that the publisher of Thisday
Newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, collected N120 Million from the former
NSA on behalf of 12 newspapers whose circulation were disrupted by
the military in June 2014.
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