Yemisi Izuora
The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, has condemned in very strong terms the brutal killing of Ghanaian undercover Journalist – Ahmed Husein.
According to media reports, Husein was shot by gunmen on a motorbike on Wednesday night while in his car driving home.
He was reportedly shot three times, twice in the chest and another in the neck.
Prior to his death, Husein had previously made a complaint to police after a Ghanaian lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong, showed his photograph on a private television channel. He promised payment for supporters who took retribution against Husein.
However, there were no measures to protect him.
IPC is aware that the Ghanaian Police is currently at work gathering information on the case, according to a statement from the director of the criminal investigations department, Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Dankwa.
However, IPC calls on the government and authorities of Ghana to make concerted efforts to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and seek justice for the crime committed.
On average, every five days a journalist is killed across the world for bringing information to the public, therefore freedom of expression and safety of journalists as well as ending impunity for crimes committed against them are of vital importance to ensure the rule of law and human rights more broadly.
IPC appeals to the security agents to fulfill their role in protecting and ensuring an environment conducive to freedom of expression, access to information and other fundamental freedoms. This means protecting journalists against attacks by those who seek to prevent them from informing the public on corruption and other abuses of power.