Nigerian Observer Bendel State, the predecessor of Edo State. The Rivers State newspaper "The Tide" did not mention the conflict with the teachers. During the administration of President Shehu Shagari (1979-83) the newspaper was subject to harassment by the police, with staff being detained and the premises shut, as were other papers belonging to state governments controlled by opposition parties. Early in 1989 worsening economic conditions forced the paper to close for some time. On 22 July 1993 the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida banned the "Nigerian Observer", as well as the "National Concord", "The Punch" and the "Daily Sketch". An analysis
Nigerian Merchant Navy arrested for allegedly assaulting men of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority. Edema claimed he had recruited 10,000 men to his "Nigerian Merchant Navy Corps" with the job of policing the nation’s waterways. Edema, who was never a Navy Commodore but had been a welder with Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) from 1994 to 1996, was arrested for alleged impersonation. Responding to the Tribune report, the Director-General of the self-styled Nigerian Merchant Navy, Commodore Allen Edema, called for President Umaru Yar'Adua to investigate the Nigerian Navy, implying it might be involved in import of illegal arms, contraband and hard drugs.