Two foremost civil society organisations championing the plight and welfare of journalists in Nigeria, the International Press Centre (IPC) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA), have decried persistent attacks, harassments, and bodily harm done to journalists in Nigeria and have demanded that justice be meted out to victims of such attacks. In their separate reactions to
Two foremost civil society organisations championing the plight and welfare of journalists in Nigeria, the International Press Centre (IPC) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA), have decried persistent attacks, harassments, and bodily harm done to journalists in Nigeria and have demanded that justice be meted out to victims of such attacks.
In their separate reactions to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, demanded justice for those who have been victims and requested for a safe and enabling environment for journalists to operate in the country.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the IPC database shows that not less than seventy cases of physical assault, harassment, threat to life, torture, kidnapping, unlawful arrests damages of property have been recorded on journalists in the space of ten months noting that the country continues to grow its rank among the countries where press freedom and freedom of expression are under threat.
Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director IPC
On its part, the MRA called on governments at all levels to investigate all attacks against media practitioners, prosecute and punish the perpetrators of such attacks. Taking such steps would send a strong signal to those who attack journalists and give the media the confidence to carry out its functions without fear.
The MRA made the call on Wednesday 2nd November 2023, at a press conference organised to commemorate the 2022 edition of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which was endorsed by the UN Chief Executives Board, the highest-level coordination mechanism in the UN system.
Mr. Edeatan Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda
Speaking with journalists in Lagos, MRA’s Programme Director, Mr Ayode Longe, reminded the government that the security of citizens is one of its primary functions and urged the Federal Government to develop and adopt robust mechanisms to protect journalists and ensure their safety and security.
He noted that 10 years after the UN had come out with the Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, Nigeria has not taken any concrete action to stem the spate of attacks against journalists and the media in the country, adding that the increasing level of attacks against media practitioners and organizations in the country was shocking and ought to be a source of concern for everyone.
Mr Longe added that MRA has recorded and documented dozens, even hundreds, of attacks against journalists over the years and is yet to hear of any instance where a journalist has been killed in Nigeria and a serious investigation was conducted and the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.
He challenged the Government to cite any attack on journalists or the media that it has seriously investigated and shared with the public the outcome of any such investigation, including details of those arrested and prosecuted for the offence.
Mr Longe also stated that since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999, to date, MRA has collated and documented cases of 19 journalists killed and in none of these killings has the Federal Government investigated, arrested, prosecuted, or brought any of the perpetrators to justice.
On its part, the IPC in its statement listed some of the attacks collated from its “Safety Alert Desk” and expressed its worry that shows that within the past ten (10) months not less than seventy (70) incidents of physical assault, harassment, the threat to life, torture, kidnapping, unlawful arrest/detention, loss/damage of valuables and gadgets (camera, phones, midgets, money, etc.) among others were recorded.
“Some of these cases include Samuel Ogundipe and Hillary Essien of the Peoples Gazette were presented with a letter from Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) demanding to state their confidential sources to stories published on the 10th of January 2022. Nigerian intelligence agency demands sources from Peoples Gazette news site.
“Fredrick Nnaji and Chigozie Nwafor of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (EBS) were beaten and abducted by four men while covering the elections in Enugu State on the 23rd of February 2022. Two Enugu state broadcaster journalists abducted, beaten while covering Nigerian elections – Committee to Protect Journalists (cpj.org) Amarachi Orjiude and Solomon Odeniyi of the Punch Newspaper were abducted and robbed respectively by gunmen in Abuja on the 13th of March 2022. Crimes against journalists on the rise in Nigeria – IFEX
Others are “Oloye Samuel of the Taraba Truth and Fact Newspaper alleged that his life was being threatened for his critical reporting of politicians in Taraba State on the 17th of April 2022. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/524561-nigerian-newspaper-publisher-alleges-threat-to-life.html. Olamilekan Bashiru of the EaglesForesight online news website was detained after republishing an article about the Ogun State Governor on the 13th of May 2022. Nigerian journalist detained after republishing article about Ogun state governor – Committee to Protect Journalists (cpj.org)
“Tobi Adepoju was assaulted by fans of the Shooting Stars Football Club while covering their live match in Ibadan, Oyo State on the 1st of June 2022. 3SC apologise to journalist over attack from fans (punchng.com). Leftist Aimeuaewonso was assaulted by a member of the Edo State House of Assembly while questioning him on action being taken to fix an abandoned road in his constituency on the 4th of July 2022. https://dailynewspulse.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/ipc-condemns-lawmakers-assault-on-journalist-calls-for-immediate-action/
“Agba Jalingo of the CrossRiver Watch was unlawfully detained after facing unwarranted harassment at his residence by Police Officials on the 19th of August 2022. https://dailypost.ng/2022/08/20/release-agba-jalingo-immediately-ipc-to-police/ Casmir Ozuruigbo was assaulted by a group of Police Officers in Lagos on the 3rd of October 2022. https://thesightnews.com/2022/10/04/ipc-seeks-sanwo-olu-lagos-cps-intervention-over-manhandling-of-journalist-by-police/”.
The MRA on its part has collated and documented over 47 incidents of attacks against journalists, media workers and media houses, adding that in the course of their work, journalists are arrested and detained, assaulted and beaten, abducted, have their equipment and gadgets confiscated and, in some cases, destroyed, have their operations disrupted among other forms of attacks.
Mr Longe revealed that MRA’s records showed that men of the Nigerian Police are the major perpetrators of the attacks against journalists as MRA had documented over 15 of such incidents in which they were the perpetrators, with armed hoodlums and political thugs coming a close second.
He said it was ironic that the Nigerian Police and other law enforcement and security agents that Nigerians should be relying on to protect journalists and the media from attacks by political thugs and other bad actors are themselves the worst culprits.
Expressing more concern, Mr Alonge stated that the Police are also being frequently used to harass and intimidate journalists and other media workers by the rich and powerful who are uncomfortable with the media beaming the searchlight on them and their activities.
He reminded the government that the world is moving away from criminalizing expression and as such journalists should not be arrested, detained or charged to court over stories and reports that they have published, he noted that the Police continue to use the provisions of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 to charge journalists and other Nigerians with cyberstalking despite the fact that the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has declared the provision to be a violation of the right to freedom of expression.
Mr. Longe described the continued use of the provision of the Cybercrimes Act to harass journalists and other citizens as a brazen disregard for the decision of the ECOWAS Court, a violation of Nigeria’s treaty obligations and an unjustifiable disrespect for the court.
He then called on members of the public to take an interest in the safety of journalists and do everything within their power to help protect them and take action to ensure that those who attack them are brought to justice.
Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said “We are calling for an end to impunity for crimes against journalists in Nigeria. We cannot turn a blind eye to attacks against journalists. We attach the highest priority to the safety of journalists and other media actors. We oppose any action, legislation, regulation, or political pressure that limits freedom of the press. Acts of intimidation and violence against journalists in Nigeria must end for democracy to survive. Attacks against media institutions and journalists are attacks against democratic rights including the right of the public to know the truth about the way they are governed,” he said.
Mr. Arogundade called on the Presidency to mandate security operatives to carry out the necessary investigations on unresolved cases of attacks on journalists. He also said the Police force should publicly disclose what has so far been done towards unraveling the mystery behind killed journalists in Nigeria.
