Nigerian soldiers this morning launched a war against some of the country’s major newspapers, preventing them from distributing the day’s edition.

In Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, soldiers stopped the distribution of Vanguard, just as the circulation vehicles going to the South-South and South-East with the papers were stopped at Ore and Warri in Ondo and Delta states respectively.

In Ibadan, at least two other newspaper vans were also impounded, their drivers detained and their phones seized. The soldiers cordoned off all roads leading to Oke Padre, a major distribution point for newspapers and magazines in the South West.

Chairman, Newspaper Distribution Agents of Nigeria (NDAN) Oyo State, Mr. Abimbola Tunde, expressed dismay over the development.

“We don’t know any reason for this,” Tunde said, lamenting that more than 100 soldiers stormed the distribution point and seized all the papers.

Meanwhile, in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria, copies of LEADERSHIP Friday booked for South-South and South-East regions were also seized by the soldiers.

The soldiers were said to be acting on “orders from above,” according to the Management of LEADERSHIP.

The action comes a day after President Goodluck Jonathan urged the country’s media to stop celebrating Boko Haram but rather to lead the campaign against the insurgent group by sensitising Nigerians on the need to reject the message of terrorism.

Jonathan made the plea in Abuja at the public presentation of a book “What they don’t teach you in broadcasting” written by veteran radio journalist, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, at which the President was represented by Minister of Information, Labaran Maku.

•Photo shows President of Newspapers proprietors Association of Nigeria, Prince Nduka Obaigbena.