Abuja, Nigeria
No fewer than twenty journalists have been attacked, arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) following the covering and reporting of the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.
The Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) said this in a statement and strongly condemned the attacks on journalists by security officials, particularly members of the Nigerian police force, during the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
CJID said the attacks had been substantiated by multiple video and pictorial evidence recorded on its press attack tracker platform.
“In video clips received by CJID, police officers were seen physically assaulting, intimidating, and violating the rights of journalists in different parts of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, News Central Television reporter Bernard Akede was interrupted and harassed by police officers while reporting live at the Lekki Toll Gate area of Lagos State, disrupting the television station’s live broadcast.
“In Abuja, Premium Times reporter Yakubu Muhammed was assaulted by police officers despite wearing a press jacket and identifying himself as a journalist. Yakubu was struck with the butt of a gun, resulting in a head injury, and his camera was damaged.”
The statement added that another journalist with Daily Independent Newspaper, Jide Oyekunle, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ, FCT Chapter), was rough-handled by a policeman in Abuja.
According to Oyekunle, the Commissioner of Police ordered that his phone be confiscated for covering the protest.
The statement also added “Also in Abuja, Kayode Jaiyeola, a photojournalist with Punch Newspaper, was arrested by a police officer attached to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Jaiyeola was handed over to members of the FCT Police Command, who detained him.
“News Central Television journalist Mary Adeboye was tear-gassed by police officers while covering the protest in Abuja.
“Jonathan Ugbal, the Managing Editor of Cross River Watch Newspaper, was assaulted and arrested at the Mary Slessor roundabout area of Calabar, the Cross River state capital. He was taken to an undisclosed location, where he was detained for several hours.”
Busola Ajibola, deputy director of the journalism programme at CJID, also disclosed that the attacks on journalists were also recorded in other parts of the country.
“In Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, nine staff members of Radio Ndarason International (RNA), including the editor-in-chief, Head of Programmes, and Nigeria Office Director, were also arrested. Their arrest and detainment are believed to be connected to an earlier visit by the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, who was at the radio station earlier this morning. The journalists are now being detained at the police headquarters in Maiduguri.
“In Delta State, journalists were attacked by pro-government protesters who assaulted protesters intending to disrupt their demonstration. Some of the journalists who fell victim to this attack are Guardian Newspaper reporter Monday Osayande and Punch Newspaper reporter Matthew Ochei. They were both attacked while interviewing protesters.
Others include A TVC correspondent who was attacked by weapon-bearing hoodlums while covering the protest in Kano State, resulting in an injured hand.
“About eleven journalists were also attacked in a Channels TV vehicle conveying, and in the process, TVC correspondent Ibrahim Isah was injured while trying to escape the scene.
CJID described the development as deeply troubling that, instead of providing security for citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest, members of the Nigerian police chose to harass journalists, fulfilling their duty to keep the public informed.
According to the organisation, the attacks on journalists by the NPF not only violate the rule of law but also affront the principles of democracy and abuse the fundamental rights of journalists.
They called on the inspector general of police (IGP) to thoroughly investigate the matter, ensuring that all officers involved are held accountable.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the NPF said it didn’t arrest Jide Oyekunle, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ, FCT Chapter) but only took him away from the protest area to protect his life.
