To address the spate of attacks on the media and give succour to those attacked, the International Press Centre, Lagos has formally launched its Centre for the Safety and Protection of Journalists while charging them to imbibe a sense of solidarity and cooperation by teaming up against the violation of media rights in Nigeria

The IPC which also presented its 2022 annual reports at a workshop in Ibadan in commemoration of this year’s world press freedom day with the theme “the safety of Journalists and Dimensions of Press Freedom Violation”.

The report, which was unveiled at an event attended by veteran media professionals and editors in Ibadan, observes that journalists across the nation were frequently the victims of various forms of abuse.

The report also covered the inhumane treatment meted out to Nigerian media workers and journalists, including, among other categories of experiences, illegal detentions, physical assaults, threats to life, abductions, invasion threats, and media shutdown.

Highlighting the numbers and regions of journalists attacked in 2022, IPC noted that not less than 66 media practitioners were victims of abuse across the six regions of the country. According to the report, four journalists were attacked in the North West, sixteen in the North Central, six in the North East, 26 in the South West, four in the South East, and ten in the South East

Additionally, it was stated that the primary perpetrators of attacks on journalists nationwide were federal parastatals, members of the public, and security agencies.

The reports advised media professionals to share “information relating to similar experiences and circumstances of attacks among themselves” in order to combat the factors that expose journalists to victimization.

It additionally urged the appropriate authorities to prioritize sensitization and reorientation by calling for accountability regarding the safety of journalists and media.

The report also suggested that media outlets increase collaboration on journalist safety through institutional and legal channels to confront the nation’s violations of journalists’ rights.

Below is the link to the full report.

THE 2022 REPORT ON THE SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS & DIMENSIONS OF PRESS FREEDOM VIOLATION

Imperative of I-CPSJ
Presenting details of the IPC Centre for Protection and Safety of Journalists, the Executive Director, International Press Centre, said the I-CPSJ is a product of the experience gathered in the course of embarking on the activities. The major lesson is that the advocacy and campaign for safety and protection of journalists need to be done at an institutional level for impactful engagement, the building of sustainable partnerships and the attraction of the enormous resources that would be required to make the endeavour a success. In other words, through I-CPSJ , we are taking a deliberate but measured step to expand the scope of and seek more impactful results of our press freedom work as it relates to the safety and protection of journalists.

To ensure effective implementation and coordination of the Centre, a coordinator has been appointed with the task of positioning the CSPJ to strategically coordinate initiatives to respond to the challenge of addressing the worsening state of the safety of journalists and Press freedom in Nigeria.

I-CPSJ Modus Operandi:
A. RESEARCH, DOCUMENTATION & PUBLICATION
– Continuous research on the principles, dimensions and challenges of safety of journalists and publication of literature on the outcomes
– Continuous monitoring and documentation of attacks on journalists
– Publication of annual reports on the state of attacks on journalists
– Publication of manuals/guides on safety journalists and other media professionals as relate to their work environment and field assignments

B. CAMPAIGNS, AWARENESS & INTERVENTIONS
– Prompt issuing of press releases or statements whenever journalists, other media professionals and media outlets come under attacks
– Launch of a helpline with mobile number (+2348132776441) for easy contact when journalists and media outlets come under attacks
– Make prompt contacts with journalists threatened, assaulted, or attacked
– Conduct in-depth interview with victims of press freedom violation and publish the outcomes by way of interventions
– Explore diverse forms of support for victims of press freedom violation including but not limited to legal and medical assistance
– Where necessary initiate regional and international campaigns in defence of journalist(s) whose safety is threatened and in urgent need of protection
– Run situation rooms on state of safety of journalists and other media professionals during general and off cycle elections
– Organise roundtables, meetings and initiate other forms of engagement to promote safety of journalists

C. ADVOCACY
– Engage in advocacies targeted at institutional and legislative reforms particularly as relating to laws affecting press freedom
– Advocate for institutional and legislative reforms of the media regulatory environment so they do not become obstacles to safety of journalists
– Advocate for national policies or mechanisms for press freedom and the safety of journalists
– Advocate for constitutional amendments that expand the frontiers of press freedom and safety of journalists

D. CAPACITY BUILDING
– Organise specialised master classes and other forms of trainings (physical & virtual)on safety including physical and digital security facilitated by media, security, health and other experts
– Train at least 500 journalists per year across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones and in neighbouring West African countries

E. PARTNERSHIPS
– Regularly partner with umbrella media professional bodies and associations, other media development/support groups, civil society organisations, the government – particularly the executives, the legislature and the judiciary, the Bar Associations, international media freedom and press freedom organisations, international development and donor organisations, etc., on policies, legislations and measures to guarantee the safety and protection of journalists

F. RESOURCES & PERSONNEL
– Funds and equipment
– Engagement of Coordinator
– Engagement of researchers, press freedom officers and in-house monitors
– Engagement of field monitors across the geo-political zones saddled with the responsibility of closely monitoring attacks on journalists and submitting reports to the I-CSPJ Coordinator