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Journalists Detained Over Nigeria Polio Attacks

Nine Killed In Shootings at Nigerian Polio Clinics

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VOA News

February 12, 2013

Police in northern Nigeria have arrested three journalists in connection with the killing of nine polio vaccine workers at a clinic last week.

The journalists from radio station Wazobia FM are accused of inciting the killings by hosting an on-air discussion about rumors and conspiracy theories related to the vaccines.

Station chief Sanusi Bello Kankarofi said the three staff members were called to a police station late Sunday, and Kano state police commissioner Ibrahim Idris has confirmed the arrests.

The female workers were killed by gunmen on motorbikes Friday, while giving out polio vaccines at two community health centers in Kano city.

It is unclear who was responsible for shootings, but similar attacks have been blamed on the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

Some Nigerians in the country's largely Muslim north believe the polio vaccines are used to sterilize young girls or can cause HIV.

Nigeria is one of the three countries in the world where polio remains endemic. Last year, the country reported 121 polio cases, more than the rest of the world combined.

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by: Davis K. Thanjan from: New York

February 12, 2013 10:40 AM

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The media reporters are at times the instigators of violence in many countries. The purpose of the media is to increase their clients while the security of the country is ignored. Unwanted speculation is dangerous. Instead of the reporting facts and events, the media is intrested in discusions and wild speculations. Self restrictions in the media is preferable to the state restrictions and sensoring on the media.

The killing of eight polio vaccine workers in Nigeria is an abhorable example of the media negligence. While Moslem fundamentalist terrorism is a threat in many countries in north Africa and elsewhere, the biggest threat to world peace is ignorance. Lack of education, especially women, in the Moslem countries in North Africa and Middle East is a threat to increased terrorism. Most of the terrorists are uneducated Moslems, mullahs, ayatollahs, jihadists, multitude of Moslem fundamentalists, rival tribes and differing Moslem idiologists following the principles of the seventh century rather than the current century. Education is key to combat terrorism.

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