The International Press Centre (IPC) has issued a strong condemnation of the reported attacks and arrests of journalists and media professionals that occurred on Thursday, August 1, while they were covering a nationwide protest in Nigeria.
The protest, tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, saw Nigerians taking to the streets across the country to demand an end to the hunger and hardship attributed to the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement released by Melody Akinjiyan, the IPC’s Press Freedom Officer, it was revealed that their Safety of Journalists Alert Room had documented multiple instances of physical assault, harassment, denial of access, and destruction of work tools faced by journalists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Kano, Cross River, and Delta states.
In the FCT, Lagos, Kano, Cross River, and Delta states, journalists faced varying degrees of violence. For instance, Jide Oyekunle of Daily Independent and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Correspondents Chapel were arrested, with Oyekunle’s mobile phone confiscated by police officers.
Specific incidents reported include:
- In Lagos State, News Central Television journalist Benard Akede was harassed by police officers and officials from Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), who prevented him and other journalists from conducting interviews during a live broadcast.
- In Kano State, TVC News Correspondent Ibrahim Isah was physically assaulted by armed hoodlums, resulting in injuries to his hand. Additionally, a Channels Television vehicle carrying about 11 journalists was attacked and vandalized, leaving the journalists traumatized.
- In Abuja, Yakubu Mohammed of Premium Times was attacked and injured by police officers who struck him with the butt of their guns and batons, causing head injuries. Photojournalist Jide Oyekunle’s phone was seized, and Mary Adeboye of News Central Television was affected by tear gas.
- In Cross River State, hoodlums in Calabar attacked Nigerian Tribune reporter Joseph Abasi-Abasi, injuring him severely. The attackers targeted an 18-seater bus belonging to the NUJ that was transporting food items. Jonathan Ugbal of Cross River Watch was arrested, beaten, and taken to an undisclosed location before being released.
- In Delta State, Matthew Ochei of Punch Newspaper, Monday Osayande of Guardian Newspaper, and Pointer reporter Lucy were attacked by hoodlums who destroyed their equipment while security agencies were present.
Akinjiyan described these attacks as a disturbing recurrence, emphasising that journalists on legitimate duties should not be assaulted by law enforcement or thugs. Despite previous appeals from the IPC and other media organisations for a safe environment for journalists, these incidents persist.
The IPC urged the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to investigate these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice. Akinjiyan highlighted that the rights of journalists to cover and report on protests, as enshrined in the 1999 Nigeria Constitution and other regulatory frameworks, must be upheld.