THE International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, has condemned the attack on journalists in Lagos on Sunday and the arrest of a Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reporter during the governorship poll in Ekiti State.
IPC condemned the incidents in a statement released by its communication officer, Olutoyin Ayoade, on Monday.
Journalists covering the visit of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu to the palace of the Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu, were reportedly attacked by hoodlums on Sunday.
According to the statement, two journalists, Adeola Ogunrinde and Omatseye Atsenuwa of Smooth 98.1FM, were severely injured while Adedoja Salam of TVC News was left in a state of shock.
IPC asked the police and the Lagos State government to bring the perpetrators to book to serve as deterrent to those who may be planning similar attacks on journalists in the count down to the 2023 elections.
The Centre also decried the arrest and detention of Jeremiah Omoniyi, a campus journalist who was deployed by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) to cover the Ekiti State governorship poll.
The ICIR reported that Omoniyi was arrested and taken away by the police during the election on Saturday for allegedly recording a video of a brawl involving party agents at a polling unit in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The police later denied reports of Ominiyi’s arrest, noting that the reporter was actually rescued by men of the Department of State Services (DSS) from a mob which wanted to lynch him for live streaming videos of the election.
However, IPC, in its statement, said the conduct of the DSS operatives amounted to undue harassment and obstruction of a professional journalist on legitimate election duty.
The Centre also enjoined the leadership of the DSS and other security agencies to sensitize their officers on election duty that there is no law preventing journalists from covering, recording and reporting incidents on Election Day.
“It is also worth reminding all security agencies that the role of the media during electoral processes and elections is recognised by the Constitution and the Electoral Act and any assault on any journalist or other media professional on electoral duty therefore means that the laws of the country are being undermined.
“The fact that the weekend attacks bring to more than 40 the number of dangerous and life threatening incidents involving journalists and other media professionals as documented by IPC’s Safety Alert Desk in the year 2022 alone underscores the need for such protection for journalists in Nigeria,” Director of the IPC Lanre Arogundade said, according to the statement.
IPC added that the Lagos and Ekiti incidents have made it imperative for media owners, the political parties and the government to put necessary mechanisms in place for the protection of journalists during campaigns and elections.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M