Nigerian Military war against Newspaper Report

Nigerian Military raided Four Newspaper offices and seized copies of its editions in alleged attempt to muzzle critics...

At least four Nigerian newspapers said soldiers have stopped and seized copies of its editions over security concerns, with one paper likening the raids to censorship during the country's military rule.

The military confirmed the searches, the AFP news agency reported, but officers denied that the moves were designed to muzzle critics, even though at least two of the newspapers had published articles denouncing the army in recent days.

Four dailies - The Nation, the Daily Trust, the Leadership and Punch - all said they were affected, while The Nation said soldiers stormed one of its circulation offices.

Listening Post: The challenge of reporting on Boko Haram

The Daily Trust said the military set up roadblocks around its offices in the capital Abuja and the northern city of Kano, as they confiscated its newspaper editions and arrested delivery truck drivers.

"One of the military men told us that they were acting on order from above as there were allegations that newspaper circulation vehicles were being used to smuggle arms and ammunition," one of The Nation's distribution managers said.

The early morning raids did not appear to target specific editions and the copies seized were destined for all parts of the country, the newspapers said online.

Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said the search "followed intelligence report[s] indicating movement of materials with grave security implications across the country using the channel of newsprint-related consignments".

Nigeria's military has been under sustained pressure, including in the media, over its response to attacks by the armed group Boko Haram, which abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in April.