Al Jazeera demands release of its detained Nigerian journalists by military

On Wednesday morning, the defence headquarters had announced that it “restrained” Ahmed Idris (pictured) and Mustafa Andy, reporters for Aljazeera Television, for allegedly engaging in activities aimed at interfering with security operations in the northeast.

Al Jazeera has released a statement demanding immediate and unconditional release of its journalists. 

Two Al Jazeera journalists covering the upcoming Nigerian presidential elections have been detained by government forces in the city of Maiduguri in Borno state.

Ahmed Idris and Ali Mustafa, both Nigerian nationals, remain confined in their hotel room and their equipment confiscated after being questioned by the military officials on Tuesday.

"We call on the Nigerian authorities to release Ahmed Idris and Ali Mustafa; they have all the relevant paperwork to report on the Nigerian elections and stories related to the election", an Al Jazeera spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Both men had just finished filming a story on the military with their cooperation. Both men are accredited and respected Nigerian journalists", the statement read.

The military statement also said that both men were said to be 'loitering' in various locations, however they were actually detained in their hotel rooms.

The network said that both Idris and Mustafa are officially accredited by the Independent Electoral Commission in Abuja with the clearance to report from anywhere in Nigeria during the entire election period.