THE Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has reacted to a publication by Blueprint newspaper titled “Akume’s riot act on official secrets,” describing it as wrong and disturbing.
In a statement signed by the MRA’s Head of the Legal Department, Obioma Okonkwo, on Thursday, July 11, the organisation described the report as inaccurate and a violation of journalistic ethics.
“As a newspaper established and owned by the current Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, some would say it is inevitable and, perhaps, understandable that Blueprint newspaper would allow itself to be co-opted as part of the already substantial arsenal of government’s propaganda machinery.
“But some sticklers for media professionalism and ethical rules that guide the profession of journalism would argue that such co-optation, whether voluntary or coerced, violates ethical principles and standards in the media sector and is unjustifiable.
“Whatever position one takes, we believe that a point of convergence among various schools of thought on this issue would be, as journalists are wont to say, that facts are sacred and that the pursuit of truth is a core foundation upon which any journalistic enterprise should be built,” part of the statement read.
The report – an editorial – by Blueprint newspaper was published on Monday, July 8, as an editorial piece.
It described a warning by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, that government workers who leak official secrets are at risk of jail time as a right step towards securing the nation. The MRA had earlier condemned the directive.
The editorial piece described MRA’s position that the government would find it difficult to prosecute its officials for unauthorised disclosure of information due to the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) as misleading and mischievous.
“Unfortunately, the MRA’s claims are as misleading as they are mischievous, thus, falling on all fours. It is trite to state that the FoI Act is neither inconsistent nor incongruous to the Official Secrets Act. The FoI, therefore, does not invalidate, vitiate, void or repeal the Official Secrets Act. The extant legal instruments are, in fact, complementary and analogous as they are geared towards the overall objective of ensuring the nation’s security and accelerating its socio-economic and political development.
“It does appear that the MRA is unperturbed by the menace of bandits, kidnappers, insurgents, secessionists, militants, oil thieves and the myriads of insecurity ravaging the country and frustrating its developmental efforts. Evidence abounds that the deadly and dastardly activities of these criminal elements are aided and abetted by corrupt and unscrupulous public officers who leak official secrets to them,” part of the editorial read.
In its reaction, MRA noted that while the FOI did not repeal the Official Secrets Act, it was not consistent or complementary with the Act, as claimed in the editorial.
The MRA noted that there was a difference between the Official Secrets Act which criminalises disclosure of information without authorisation and the FOI which protects workers that disclose information without authorisation.
“The two laws are not complementary, they are not analogous and there is absolutely no meeting point between them. The difference between the two pieces of legislation is as stark as the difference between night and day. Besides, there is nothing contained in the Official Secrets Act that can be interpreted to be aimed at enhancing transparency or accelerating the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria,” the MRA noted in its latest statement.
The organisation also argued that despite the difference between both laws, the FOI is superior, as provided in the guidelines on its implementation.
In its editorial, Blueprint newspaper noted that there was evidence showing links between bandits, kidnappers, other non-state actors and public officers who divulge official secrets.
The MRA, however, pointed out that no instance of such was cited by the new outlet, adding that unauthorised disclosure of information by government officials helps to expose corruption, and incompetence among, others.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.