THE Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned the attack on a reporter with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Mustapha Usman, by officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
The ICIR reported how Mustapha was beaten up and had his identification card confiscated on the 18th of September near the Corps’ Zone 7 office in Abuja while doing his job.
The reporter was documenting an incident involving the FRSC officers at the Wuye Junction in the nation’s capital, where the officers stopped a motorist for allegedly violating traffic laws.
Mustapha attempted to record how the officer pounced on the female motorist, struggled to collect the steering from her and moved on to deflate her tyre after failing to take over the steering.
CWPPF, a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding good governance and democracy by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom, condemned the officers’ action in a statement.
“Journalists have an obligation of reporting on matters of public interest and ensuring transparency and accountability and must be allowed to perform this duty without fear of harassment, intimidation, or physical harm,” part of the statement read.
The group called for a comprehensive and unbiased investigation into the incident.
It said those responsible for assaulting him must be identified and held accountable for their actions, stressing that FRSC and relevant stakeholders must ensure justice prevails.
The coalition also demands public apology to Usman and a commitment from the FRSC to respect and uphold the rights and safety of journalists in the future.
“The right to report freely and independently is a stronghold of any democracy, and our collective responsibility is to protect and uphold this fundamental right.”
Speaking with the coalition, the Editor of The ICIR, Victoria Bamas, expressed her displeasure over the incident.
“It is disheartening that journalists discharging their responsibilities and working within the law are attacked by public officials,” she said.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via [email protected] and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.