MILITARY REGIMES AND PRESS RELATIONSIN NIGERIA, 1966-1999

ABSTRACT

The study has examined the effect of the military regimes on the Nigerian press from 1966-1999. The military regime in Nigeria started from 1966 when General AguiyiIronsi became the first military Head of State. The terminal date for this study is 1999 when military regime in Nigeria ended and ushered in a period a of the return of power to civilian rule under President OlusegunObasanjo. With the nature of the military regime, the press during this period were prevented from carrying out their roles as the “watch dog” of the public. The successive military regimes in Nigeria right from General AguiyiIronsi through to General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala/Obasanjo, General MuhammaduBuhari to General Ibrahim Babangida, General SaniAbacha and General AbdusalamiAbubakar, the press freedom suffered a great setback, as Nigerian press battled with various problems such as the harsh economic environment and a high-handedness, authoritarian and even dictatorial military rule.