P.M. News

P.M. News is a Nigerian daily newspaper published in Lagos by Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL). It was launched in August 1994 during a complicated period for the Nigerian press, when military governments exercised substantial control over news organizations but a temporary relaxation of restrictions created room for new publications. The paper was conceived as a lively afternoon newspaper, combining hard news with accessible coverage of fashion, sport and entertainment. The publication emerged from a wider journalistic enterprise created by former staff of African Concord. In 1993, Bayo Onanuga, Babafemi Ojudu and other colleagues established TheNEWS after leaving African Concord in protest over pressure to apologize to President Ibrahim Babangida for a critical report about the military regime. Ojudu became the first managing editor of TheNEWS. The same network later launched P.M. News, giving ICNL a daily newspaper alongside TheNEWS magazine and the tabloid Tempo. P.M. News and TheNEWS became associated with an assertive style often described as “guerrilla journalism.” Their reporting operated in an environment marked by censorship, surveillance, arrests and forced closures. The publications’ editorial identity was therefore shaped not only by their format and subject mix, but also by their willingness to publish material critical of Nigeria’s military authorities. This made the titles influential within Nigeria’s independent press while exposing their staff and operations to official retaliation. The confrontation with the authorities became especially acute in the 1990s. Amnesty International reported in August 1996 that editor-in-chief Bayo Onanuga was believed to be held at the State Security Service headquarters in Lagos and might have been subjected to ill-treatment. Babafemi Ojudu had reportedly been released on 13 August 1996 and required hospital treatment after alleged ill-treatment. The arrests were believed to be connected with articles critical of the government. Onanuga later left Nigeria in 1997 after hiding from security forces for several months, returning in 1998 following the death of General Sani Abacha and the beginning of Nigeria’s transition toward democracy. P.M. News belongs to a broader Nigerian newspaper tradition in which political reporting, investigative work and popular presentation coexist. Its known portfolio relationship with TheNEWS and Tempo positioned ICNL as a multi-format publisher rather than a single-title newspaper operator. Public reference material confirms the newspaper’s Lagos base, daily frequency and connection to ICNL, but does not provide enough reliable information to state its current circulation, ownership structure, financial performance, present editorial leadership or current publication status.

P.M. News developed from the independent publishing circle formed by former African Concord journalists. In 1993, Bayo Onanuga, Babafemi Ojudu and other former colleagues founded TheNEWS after objecting to pressure from African Concord publisher M. K. O. Abiola to apologize to President Ibrahim Babangida over a critical story about the military regime. Ojudu served as TheNEWS’s first managing editor. The publishing operation later became Independent Communications Network Limited, which expanded its portfolio with the weekly TheNEWS magazine, the tabloid Tempo and P.M. News. P.M. News was launched in August 1994, during a brief period in which Nigeria’s military government under General Sani Abacha allowed somewhat greater space for press activity. The paper adopted an afternoon format and combined news reporting with fashion, sports and entertainment. Its tone was more accessible than that of a narrowly specialized political journal, but its editorial reputation remained closely linked to the political reporting of the ICNL group. During the 1990s, P.M. News and TheNEWS became associated with “guerrilla journalism,” a description of their persistent and often adversarial reporting under military rule. The publications faced official interference, arrests and closures. In August 1996, Amnesty International reported that Bayo Onanuga, identified as editor-in-chief, was believed to be detained at State Security Service facilities in Lagos and might have been mistreated. Babafemi Ojudu was released on 13 August and reportedly required hospital care after ill-treatment. The arrests were believed to have followed publication of articles critical of the government. Onanuga spent part of 1997 hiding from security forces and subsequently left Nigeria. He returned in 1998 after Abacha’s sudden death and the opening of a transition toward democratic government. These events illustrate the political risks faced by the P.M. News publishing operation and help explain its historical reputation as an independent and combative Nigerian press outlet. Available reference material does not establish its current editor, circulation, ownership beyond its association with ICNL, or whether the newspaper remains active in its historical form.

• 1998

  Onanuga returns during Nigeria’s democratic transition

  [1]P.M. Newsen.wikipedia.org

  Bayo Onanuga returned to Nigeria after the death of General Sani Abacha and the start of a transition toward democracy.

• 1996

  Journalists face detention and alleged mistreatment

  [1]P.M. Newsen.wikipedia.org

  The publication’s journalists were caught up in government action against critical reporting, including the reported detention of Bayo Onanuga and the release and hospitalization of Babafemi Ojudu.

• 1994

  P.M. News launches in Lagos

  [1]P.M. Newsen.wikipedia.org

  P.M. News began publication in August as an afternoon newspaper focused on news while also covering fashion, sports and entertainment.

• 1993

  TheNEWS is founded by former African Concord journalists

  [1]P.M. Newsen.wikipedia.org

  Bayo Onanuga, Babafemi Ojudu and other former African Concord staff established TheNEWS after objecting to pressure to apologize for a critical report about the military regime.

A lively, accessible Nigerian afternoon newspaper with a strong news orientation and a history of confrontational independent journalism.

• Daily newspaper · 1994

  P.M. News

  The flagship P.M. News title is a Lagos-published Nigerian daily newspaper launched in August 1994. It was designed as a breezy afternoon paper with a strong emphasis on current news, supplemented by coverage of fashion, sports and entertainment. Its historical identity is also tied to the independent and confrontational reporting tradition of the Independent Communications Network Limited publishing group.

• Weekly news magazine · 1993

  TheNEWS

  TheNEWS is a weekly magazine published by the same Independent Communications Network Limited operation. It predates P.M. News and was founded in 1993 by former African Concord journalists, including Bayo Onanuga and Babafemi Ojudu. The magazine and P.M. News became known for critical reporting and what reference sources describe as guerrilla journalism.

• Tabloid

  Tempo

  Tempo is a tabloid title associated with Independent Communications Network Limited. It formed part of the publisher’s multi-format portfolio alongside P.M. News and TheNEWS. Detailed information about its editorial scope, launch date and current status is not established in the supplied reference material.

• 1996

  Detention and alleged mistreatment of P.M. News journalists

  Amnesty International reported that editor-in-chief Bayo Onanuga was believed to be detained by Nigeria’s State Security Service and might have been ill-treated. Babafemi Ojudu had reportedly been released on 13 August and required hospital treatment after alleged ill-treatment. The incidents were believed to be connected with articles critical of the government.

  Source

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• 1994

  Launch of an afternoon daily newspaperProduct launch

  Background

  The ICNL publishing operation expanded beyond TheNEWS magazine during a brief period of relative press freedom under military rule.

  Action taken

  It launched P.M. News in August 1994 as a news-oriented afternoon paper with additional fashion, sports and entertainment coverage.

  Aftermath

  The title became part of an independent publishing portfolio associated with assertive reporting and resistance to official interference.

  Source

1. 1P.M. Newsen.wikipedia.org