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MEN suspected to have come from the State Security Service (SSS) stormed the premises of The Exclusive Newspaper in the early hours of Friday August 19, 2005 threatening fire and brimstone.
MEN suspected to have come from the State Security Service (SSS) stormed the premises of The Exclusive Newspaper in the early hours of Friday August 19, 2005 threatening fire and brimstone.
The men numbering about 14 with only one female, had arrived the newspaper office in a white Mercedes bus brandishing arms that sent neighbours along Pade Ondanye close in Ikeja, Lagos where the office is situated, scurrying into their homes for safety.
They had immediately swarmed on the building that houses The Exclusive. Three of them gained access into the main office while others took strategic positions around the building.
The leader of the team who posed as a prospective buyer had approached staff that were unaware of the happening outside their office, for 150 copies of the current edition. The staff had informed the men that there was no way they could buy that quantity from the office and advised them get across to the vendors who are all around the states. When it became clear that they had met a brick-wall, they resorted to the use of harsh language compelling the staff to produce within stipulated minutes all copies of the current edition in their office.
They quickly retrieved from their shelf about 200 copies, which were handed over to the security operatives. A statement signed by the editor of the newspaper, Osa Irabor said 'The 'sin" of The Exclusive might not be unconnected with the lead story of Igbo traders ready to reject the naira and Igbo youths prepare for war, which were published two weeks earlier.