AMOS Abba, an oil and gas reporter at the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has bagged a Fetisov journalism award in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Abaa, alongside 39 journalists from 21 countries were shortlisted in four different categories, including; Excellence in Environmental Journalism, Outstanding Investigative Reporting, Contribution to Civil Rights, and Outstanding Contribution to Peace, in November.
On Wednesday, all winners of the different categories were announced at the Fetisov Journalism Awards ceremony, with Abba emerging as 3rd place in the Excellence in Environmental Journalism category, for his report on How Nestle Nigeria contaminates water supply of its host community in Abuja, which was published in April, 2019.
The report showed how a water factory belonging to Nestle, located in Abaji Local Government, Abuja, led to the contamination of the host community’s source of water, caused destruction of farmlands and road networks.
Two days after publication of the report, the management of Nestle’s Water factory, Abaji led by Victoria Uwadoka, Nestle Nigeria Public affairs Manager visited the community on April 30, to install a generating plant that would pump water daily, ICIR reported.
With one of its objectives being; ‘ to reward outstanding journalists with major money prizes for their dedicated work,’ The Fetisov award enriched each winner in all categories.
The grand prize winners received N36.5 million, and the runners-up got N7.3 million and N3.7 million respectively.
Also, renowned investigative reporter and former editor of The ICIR, Fisayo Soyombo, also recently bagged an award alongside Kiki Mordi, a BBC journalist.
The duo were announced as winners of the inaugural People Journalism Prize for Africa (PJPA).
Seun Durojaiye is a journalist with International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).