Ken Okeke
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to comply with a February 16, 2024, judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja directing it to investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators of all attacks against journalists and other media practitioners, and take measures to prevent further attacks.
The MRA said the Government’s failure to comply with the court’s orders more than two years later is enabling impunity and encouraging further attacks on journalists.
In a statement issued in Lagos to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), MRA’s Programme Officer, Ms Ayomide Eweje, noted that “The state of media freedom in Nigeria remains deeply concerning, marked by persistent and spiraling incidents of attacks against journalists and media organizations, growing hostility toward journalists and the media, and an increasingly restrictive environment for independent reporting.”
According to her, “Over the past year, Nigeria has witnessed a pattern of intimidation, harassment, and arbitrary arrests and detention of journalists by security agencies and other state actors. Reporters covering issues of governance, corruption, and public accountability continue to face threats, unlawful arrests, and, in some cases, physical attacks. These actions not only violate the rights of journalists but also undermine the public’s right to know.
Ms Eweje recalled that on February 16, 2024, while delivering judgment in a suit filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation on October 26, 2021, by Abuja-based lawyer, Ms Mojirayo Ogunlana, on behalf of MRA, Justice Inyang Ekwo issued eight declaratory reliefs sought by MRA and directed the Federal Government, among other things, to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioners; investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators of all attacks against journalists, and ensure that all victims of attacks against journalists have access to effective remedies.
She said, despite the court’s orders, the culture of impunity for attacks against journalists is persisting as perpetrators of such attacks are rarely held accountable, emboldening further violations of the rights of journalists and eroding public confidence in the rule of law.
Ms Eweje observed that the misuse of laws and regulations to stifle dissent remains a major challenge in the country, as provisions of the Cybercrime Act and other laws have been deployed to target journalists, bloggers, and media platforms, often under the guise of maintaining national security or public order or protecting the reputations of public officials and other rich and powerful members of society.
She expressed concern about the economic pressures facing the media sector, pointing out that financial instability, declining revenues, and undue political and commercial influence are compromising editorial independence and limiting the capacity of media organizations to produce quality, investigative journalism.
Stressing that “a free, independent, and pluralistic media is now more essential than ever, Ms Eweje called on the government to recognize that media freedom is not a threat but a vital element of nation-building and urged it to end all forms of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of journalists; ensure prompt, thorough, and transparent investigations into attacks against media professionals, and hold perpetrators accountable; and review and amend laws and regulations that are inconsistent with constitutional and international guarantees of freedom of expression.”
She enjoined the government to promote an enabling environment for independent journalism, including ensuring transparency in media regulation, and fully implement the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to enhance access to information and strengthen democratic governance.
Ms Eweje called on security and law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, and political actors to respect the rights of journalists and media organizations, particularly in the context of elections and public interest reporting.
Saluting the “efforts of all journalists in Nigeria who continue to carry out their work under difficult and often dangerous conditions,” she said: “Their courage and commitment remain indispensable to the preservation of democratic values and the protection of citizens’ rights to information and to freely express themselves.”