BY IKEH CHUKWU
The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE) has condemned in strong terms the reported attacks on journalists and other media professionals on Thursday August 1 while covering the first day of a nation-wide protest by groups demanding an end to hardship-inducing economic policies.
In a release on Monday, CSAAE’s Founder, Fr Godswill Agbagwa, described peaceful protest as an ethical way to express dissatisfaction over the activities of bad leaders and wondered why anyone would stifle efforts to convey the discontent of the Nigerian people.
“Bad leaders are bad leaders and we must tell them how bad they are.
“Peaceful protest is an ethical way to do so”, he said.
C-Advocate gathered that on Thursday when the protests began across the country, some journalists faced attacks ranging from undue harassment to assault and denial of access to proper coverage of the protests, with some losing their working equipment to thugs and others in security uniforms.
In Delta state, Mr Monday Osayande of Guardian Newspaper, Mr Matthew Ochei of Punch Newspaper, and a Pointer reporter, Lucy were attacked by anti-protest protesters who arrived at the location of the protest and chased away protesters while security agents looked on.
In Kano, a vehicle belonging to Channels television, conveying about eleven (11) journalists which included TVC News Correspondent, Ibrahim Isah was vandalized.
In the same Kano, Ibrahim Isah, a Correspondent of TVC News, was physically assaulted by hoodlums who were with weapons while covering the protest. He sustained injuries in the process.
In Lagos, Benard Akede of News Central Television was interrupted during a live broadcast by security officials, who eventually barred him from further interviews.
In Abuja, cameras belonging to journalists were destroyed by Police officers. Jide Oyekunle, a photo-journalist with Daily Independent was arrested and his mobile phone seized by Police officers. Mary Adeboye of News Central Television was also affected by tear gas thrown by Police officers while she covered the protest.
In the same Abuja, Yakubu Mohammed of Premium Times was reportedly attacked and injured by Police officers who hit him with the butt of their gun and their batons and caused injuries to his head while he covered the protest.
The story was not different in Cross River where hoodlums launched an attack on journalists, seriously injuring Nigerian Tribune reporter, Joseph Abasi-Abasi.
Jonathan Ugbal of CrossRiver Watch was arrested by the Police, beaten and taken to an unknown destination in Calabar. He was eventually released.
In Abuja, on Saturday, Olukayode Jayeola, a photo-journalist with The Punch Newspaper was arrested by police officers while covering the third day of the protest at Eagle Square. His camera, phones and other personal belongings were seized by security operatives.
Masked security operatives also fired sporadically at journalists at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. Bullets pierced a Premium Times reporter’s car conveying journalists out of the location. The Journalists inside the car shot at by security agents are those of The Punch, The Cable, Premium Times, and Peoples Gazette.
In Borno, Nine (9) Radio Ndarason Internationale staff members were arrested by security officials in Maiduguri as they were reporting the protests. The list continues.
C-Advocate, a citizens’ advocacy newspaper, therefore calls on all concerned security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force, to investigate the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice. On no condition should Nigeria degenerate to the point where citizens’ right to freedom of expression is threatened, even violated, without recourse to established constitutional rights and existing laws, as can be found in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).