Media coverage banned for Nigerian mutiny court-martial

The Nigerian Army has banned media coverage of the court-martial of 59 accused mutineers. The basis for the ban, according to this article, is "that witnesses in the trial are to give testimonies based on the ongoing operations in the north eastern part of the country and in order to prevent a sabotage of the operations of troops in the area . . . ."

Editor's comment: It's not immediately clear how testimony well after the mutiny could degrade security as to current or future operations. In any event, the solution would seem to be a careful piece-by-piece closure process, rather than a blanket ban on media coverage. One wonders whether the media will seek redress in the civilian courts.