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Stakeholders Demand End To Brutality Against Nigerian Journalists

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja


  L- R: President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Chris Isiguzo; President of Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Mr Kabir Garba; Journalist with African Gong.com, Mrs Blessing David; Legal Practitioner, Mr Abdul Mahmud; TVC reporter, Ivy Kanu and Executive Director of IPC, Mr  Lanre Arogundade at the public presentation of documentaries on attacks on journalists and roundtable on protection of journalists as frontline workers in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE. 


Stakeholders in the media industry and Civil Society Organisations (CSO's) have demanded an end to brutality against Nigerian journalists while calling on the three tiers of government to respect the rights' and dignity of the media professionals.   

These formed the crux of discuss in Abuja yesterday at the public presentation of documentaries on attacks on journalists and roundtable on protection of journalists as frontline workers in commemoration of the 2022 World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) with the theme, 'Journalism Under Digital Siege'. 

It was organised by International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos, with the support of International Freedom of Exchange (IFEX), the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Foundation, Ford Foundation, Luminate and OSIWA.

The documentaries titled, "‘Voices From COVID-19 Frontlines' and ‘Voices From #EndSars Frontlines’ captured the molestation of journalists and arson attacks on media outlets during #EndSars protest and COVID-19 lockdown. 

In his address, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr  Lanre Arogundade stated that some of the worst violations encountered by journalists and other media practitioners take place in Nigeria, which is why the country was rated 120 in the global Press Freedom Index in 2021.

He said that journalists and other media professionals perform multiple roles such such as disseminating reliable information, providing voices for parties during conflicts, resolving issues arising from conflicts and holding duty bearers accountable in their coverage and reportage of crisis and emergency situations. 

Arogundade stated that despite the weighty responsibilities of journalists and other media professionals as frontline workers, that they are consistently victimised and molested irrespective of their roles as watchdog. 

The executive director revealed that while interacting with journalists assaulted during the COVID-19 lockdown and #EndSars protest that IPC discovered that depending on statistics alone wouldn't highlight their ordeal. 

To this end, he said that the institute concluded on documenting such experiences in order to sensitise stakeholders on the need to halt brutality against journalists. 

Also speaking, the Director of MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima stated that democracy cannot thrive without the media and journalists, which is why the foundation supports investigative journalism. 

He sought the need to support, revive and promote local languages, adding that an independent media requires an independent financial resources in order to create an independent editorial. 

Recalling the challenges of the defunct '234Next' newspaper, he added, "The organisation came up with independent reports and journalism that most people don't want to hear and because of their stance on issues, advertisers, who benefitted from government contracts boycotted the paper. "

Shettima advocated for adequate infrastructure to bolster media work, saying that MacArthur Foundation currently supports 10 to 13 media organisations in Nigeria. 

On his part, the President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Chris Isiguzo lamented the absence of law in the Nigerian constitution that protects journalists. 

This, he said was the reason that state actors go overboard in harassing and intimidating journalists, saying that paramilitary and other security agencies should begin to see journalists as partners in progress. 

The Vice President of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Aliyu Aliyu said that its important for journalists to understand their limitations and know how to protect themselves while discharging their responsibilities. 

Lending his voice, a legal practitioner, Mr Abdul Mahmud stated that legal practitioners had lobbied the National Assembly to provide a framework for the protection of journalists, but are yet to receive tangible result. 

He however pleaded with the 9th NASS to enact a law to protect journalists. 

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