The Nation Newspaper

Tag: journalists

  • Detained Aljazeera journalists freed

    Detained Aljazeera journalists freed

    The two Aljazera ‎ journalists under detention in Maiduguri have regain their freedom in the early hours of Saturday, The Nation has learnt.

    The two journalists Ahmed Idris and Ali Mustapha who arrived Maiduguri apparently to cover the presidential election held on March 28, 2015 were detained by the Nigeria Military for allegedly loitering with their cameras in prohibited areas without permission ‎of the security agencies.

    It is not clear who facilitated their release but there have been pressure on Nigeria government from within and outside the country ‎calling for the release of the detained journalists.

    The Special Adviser to Gov. Kashim on Media Mr. Isa Gusau wrote on his facebook page that; “detained Aljazera journalists freed. Both men currently at Government Lodge Maiduguri.‎ Gov. Kashim asked that they be relocated to the hotel where they were confined. All is well”.

  • IPC decries attacks on journalists

    THE International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos has condemned attacks on journalists by security operatives and political thugs during weekend’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

    IPC’s Programme Officer Stella Nwofia said monitoring of media coverage of the elections revealed that the following violation of journalists’ rights and press freedom occurred between Saturday and Sunday:

    *Perez Brisibe of Vanguard newspapers and some other journalists were assaulted by suspected political thugs at the Ughelli office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta State while being barred from monitoring the collation of results;

    *Imani Joe-Adeniyi, Channels TV Correspondent; Saviour Etim Asuquo, Channels TV Cameraman; Tina Todo, The Guardian newspaper reporter and others were reportedly stopped and molested by men of the Nigeria Police in Calabar, Cross River State, on their way to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to obtain updates on the collation of election results; and

    *A private radio station, Unity FM, and some of the journalists were attacked by some youths from Anguwan Rogo and Zinaria in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State over an alleged offensive live programme.

    The Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, was quoted as saying the attacks were unbecoming and certainly not acceptable since the journalists were carrying out legitimate professional duty during the elections.

    “The fundamental rights of the concerned journalists and media institutions were violently violated and we hereby call on them to immediately seek appropriate legal redress,” Arogundade said.

    He called on the police authorities, other law enforcement agencies and the leadership of the political parties to enlighten their men and members on the important role of the media during elections.

    The centre also called for the immediate release of two Al-Jazeera journalists, Ahmed Idris and Mustafa Ali, who according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have been confined to Sutus Hotel, Maiduguri by Nigerian military authorities since last Tuesday.

  • UNESCO, others seek safety for journalists

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is leading a coalition of global bodies in a project to check attacks on journalists. Journalists working in the Southeast alongside their counterparts in the Southsouth attended a workshop in Calabar, Cross River State where organisers enunciated the safety project. The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) was also part of the event, as is the United Nations Development Programme’s Democratic Governance and Development Project. Over 300 journalists attended.

    The activities under this safety project include: Establishment of a national monitoring committee on journalists’ safety and 36 similar committees at state levels; development of safety a code for journalists; training of journalists in safety especially in relation to the electoral period; and general public awareness on the importance of journalists’ safety ahead of the elections 2015.

    In a keynote address, a university don, Des Wilson lamented that journalists are fast turning into endengered species all over the world adding that “journalism practice is increasingly becoming a high-risk profession with stories of harassment, arrests, detention, battering, killing and other forms of violence assaulting the ears and eyes daily”.

    The situation he said is worst in countries where there is civil war, where terrorism is holding sway or where there is war between two or more countries.

    He listed some of the safety and security challenges frequently reported in the media to include the following:

    “Acts of impunity, including indiscriminate arrest and detention of journalists without charge; intimidation and harassment by security operatives in homes and offices; threats of arrest: seizures of publications, whole or in part at entry points and sale points.”

    Others include: seizure of working tools such as cameras, computers and machines while on duty; closure of offices by police or SSS; abductions, kidnappings by police, SSS or militant groups; violence- battering and killing of journalists, bombing of offices

    “Prevention of journalists from carrying out their duties especially in public places; exploitation and abuse of judicial processes to impede journalists from working and judicial harassment, intimidation and jailing”.

    “It has been documented by UNESCO that more than 600 journalists have been killed in the last ten years and that, on the average, journalists are now being murdered at the rate of one each week. Such statistics are scary given the fact that the situation does not seem to abate”

    “The attitude of government is puzzling as journalists are left to the vagaries of the Nigerian Judicial system and the law as many mystery murders remain unsolved. Sometimes, the impression is given that the government itself with the situation as agents of state also organise their own regime of violence-physical and verbal-against journalists”.

    The varsity don said varying forms of infringement have been meted out on journalists in the zone over the years.

    He said, “In June 2014, the police stopped the Bayelsa chapter of the NUJ from holding its congress. They harassed and threatened to arrest the NUJ chairman. Again in July 2014 when the congress was rescheduled, the police returned to re-enact their show of shame”,

    “In Imo State, a political group harassed one Mr Iheanacho working for a global tabloid. In Delta State, so-called militants kidnapped fourteen journalists. This non-governmental organisation criminal group was said to be Tom Polo group. The journalists had been invited to inspect NDDC projects at the time of their kidnap. They were later released”.

    “Two years ago, a Punch newspaper correspondent was arrested by the SSS for carrying out his lawful duties. In Akwa Ibom, there has been frequent harassment, arrest and detention of journalists working for the Global Concord newspaper”.

    “Across the nation, the following journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty: Eneche Akogwu (2014), a staff of Channels TV; Sunday Gyan Burede, Nathan S. Dabok (all ofThe Light Bearer) and Ikechukwu Udendu (Jan 12 2013), a staff of Anambra News”.

    “Also in 2011, Akwa Ibom State Government gave the State Vendours Association N10 million to stop circulating Global Concord. On occasions, newspapers coming from Lagos and elsewhere are seized at the entry points and paid for when they are known to carry reports deemed to be negative to the interest of the Government”

    “The Nation is known to be a frequent victim of this and in 2013 there were reports of seizures of some editions of this newspaper. Earlier in 2012, there was the case of harassment of one Kazeem of The Sun newspaper during Governor Akpabio’s birthday”.

    “Global Concord continues to face the wrath of the Akwa Ibom State Government like co-wives haggling over family inheritance. The issue is not as if the safety issues of journalists are in any way connected with issues of defense of democracy or the security of the state”.

    “It is largely a matter of the rulers, governors, ministers, commissioners, and politicians fighting to maintain secrecy and ensure their self protection and survival while their criminal deeds go unreported or remain secret”.

    While urging the general public to insist on preservation of freedom of speech as enshrined in the constitution, he also called for a legal scheme to be set utodos journalists.

    He however maintained that journalists must be ethical in their practice and keep strictly to the ethics of the profession even as he maintained that proprietors must be ready to run their media outfits as professional institutions.

    “Sine journalists are pen soldiers, they should be given training in security and safety so that they can defend themselves in emergency situations. For example in covering wars, they are usually embedded with soldiers, therefore they need some kind of paramillitary training”

    “ But it is not that simple anyway. Journalists themselves must begin to build a wall of respectability  around them. A journalist that does not show self-respect cannot in all honesty expect respect from others”.

    “The reckless quest for money, especially cheap, filthy lucre, is largely responsible for the challenges within the profession. Some of us give ourselves out cheaply to irresponsible and lying politicians, so when these nonentities come to power, they employ the same illegal strategy which we used against their opponents in order for them to achieve their goals against us”.

    “At this point, there is already mistrust and politicians always find that journalists who engage in u professional practices cannot be trusted. This, then, forms the basis of their relationship with us, believing that all of us are the same. This is a case of one bad egg spoiling the rest in the basket”.

  • Journalists hold seminar on Consumer Day

    To commemorate the World Consumer Right Day, Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) is today joining rest of the world to mark this year’s Consumer Day titled: “Healthy diet”.

    The association developed its theme to underscore  the “implication of unhealthy diet to national development”.

    Holding at the White House Hotels, Ikeja GRA, the association is using the event to also honour individuals, who contributed to the nation’s marketing communication industry and consumer empowerment last year.

    The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu will deliver the keynote address.

    Those who will discuss the paper include Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii; Director-General Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki; Publisher, BusinessDay Newspaper, Mr. Frank Aigbogun; Managing Executive UAC Restaurants, Mr. Mark Hedderwick and CEO, Purples Consult/President, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Mrs. Sola Salako.

    According to the association Chairman, Mr. Goddie Ofose, the decision to join the rest of the world in celebrating consumers is to deepen discussions on issues affecting consumers with particular focus on the plight of consumers in Nigeria.

    Those to be honoured include President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina (Media); President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Kayode Olagesin (Brand Activation); MD, Noah’s Ark Advertising, Mr Lanre Adisa, (Advertising) and MD, XLR8 Limited, Mr Callistus Okoruwa, (Public Relations/Communications) among others.

    Others are Director-General, Consumer Protection Council, Mrs Dupe Atoki (Regulator); President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Mr Tolu Ogunkoya (Media Independent);

    Commercial Director, Proma-sidor Limited, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, (Corporate) and Chairman, Marketing and Media.

  • Journalists hold seminar on Consumer Day

    Journalists hold seminar on Consumer Day

    TO commemorate the World Consumer Right Day, Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) has concluded plans to join the rest of the world to mark this year’s Consumer Day titled: “Healthy diet”.

    However, the association has developed its theme and adapted it to the local industry. It is “implication of unhealthy diet to national development”.

    The event, scheduled for March 13, at White House Hotels, Ikeja GRA  will be used to honour individuals, who have contributed to the nation’s marketing communication industry and consumer empowerment last year.

    The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu will deliver the keynote address. Those who will discuss the paper include Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii; Director-General Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki; Publisher, BusinessDay Newspaper, Mr. Frank Aigbogun; Managing Executive UAC Restaurants, Mr. Mark Hedderwick and CEO, Purples Consult/President, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Mrs. Sola Salako.

    According to the association Chairman, Mr. Goddie Ofose, the decision to join the rest of the world in celebrating consumers is to deepen discussions on issues affecting consumers with particular focus on the plight of consumers in Nigeria.

    Those to be honoured include President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina (Media); President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Kayode Olagesin (Brand Activation); MD, Noah’s Ark Advertising, Mr Lanre Adisa, (Advertising) and MD, XLR8 Limited, Mr Callistus Okoruwa, (Public Relations/Communications) among others.

    Others are Director-General, Consumer Protection Council, Mrs Dupe Atoki (Regulator); President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Mr Tolu Ogunkoya (Media Independent);

    Commercial Director, Proma-sidor Limited, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, (Corporate) and Chairman, Marketing and Media.

  • Journalists organize debate for candidates

    A group of community media practitioners under the auspice of the League of Journalists, Ikorodu (LJI) has organized a political debate tagged “Ikorodu decides” among candidates seeking to represent the people of the old Ikorodu Division of Lagos State at the state and national assemblies.

    The event, which was held last Monday at the Engineering hall of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, under the chairmanship of Sir Ayodele Elesho, former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, saw the candidates presenting their agendas to the people of their various constituencies.

    As part of the program, Mr. Taiwo Obe, foremost media practitioner and Director of the media clinic, delivered delivered a guest lecture while Hon. Rotimi Erogbogbo, Chairman of the Ikorodu Division Solution Alliance (IDSA) gave the keynote address. Among candidates who graced the debate were Hon. Ola Animashaun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), S.O.B Agunbiade of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bolaji Osinowo of the Labour Party (LP).

  • Al Jazeera journalists for retrial

    Al Jazeera journalists for retrial

    Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were sentenced to seven and 10 years respectively last June. A court ordered a retrial last month.

    They were arrested in 2013 along with Australian colleague Peter Greste after being accused of collaborating with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

    Mr Greste was freed a week ago.

    A decree issued by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi last November allows the deportation of foreign prisoners. Mr Fahmy, who held dual Canadian and Egyptian citizenship, renounced his Egyptian nationality this week in an attempt to secure his release.

    Egyptian and Canadian officials had indicated that he would be deported to Canada.

    Mr Mohamed is an Egyptian who holds no dual nationality.

  • Scholars seek help for journalists in elections, insurgency reporting

    A group of scholars and journalists is seeking reforms to empower reporters to effectively cover the general elections and insurgency in the Northeast.

    The professionals spoke at the weekend at Covenant University’s guest house in Ota, Ogun State.

    They urged the government, media owners and the public to improve security, training and welfare for journalists, particularly when they cover sensitive assignments, such as elections and insurgency.

    The participants at the consultative meeting were drawn from the Department of Mass Communication of the university, the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), Association of Communication Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria (ACSPN) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    In a communiqué by its convener, Prof Cecil Blake of the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University and the representatives of the other groups, the forum urged the government and the society to provide security for journalists in the course of their duties.

    The communique reads: “The forum recognises that the government is constitutionally responsible for the protection of lives and property, especially towards the 2015 elections and the unfolding insurgency in some parts of the country. We also recognise that journalists in Nigeria are exposed to danger, especially in the coverage of elections and the unfolding insurgency.

  • AUN trains journalists on terrorism reporting

    Fifty-seven journalists, editors and producers covering the insurgency in the Northeast region returned to the classroom to learn how to cover emerging issues better.

    They were trained by the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola as part of a peace conference for activists from five northeastern states under the AUN-Adamawa Peace Initiative.

    The 57 participants were drawn from print, broadcast and online media organisations in Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Bauchi and Adamawa States.

    The theme of the workshop, ‘”Redefining the role of Journalists in peacebuilding”, addressed how journalists could cover conflict stories professionally in a nation in search of order, stability and development.

    One of the facilitators, Dr. Jacob, said beyond reporting the conflict, journalists must be peace builders.

    “With the Boko Haram insurgency becoming more violent and intractable, workshop organisers felt it was a propitious time to launch a comprehensive, practical training for local journalists on peace reporting, so they can see themselves not only as journalists, but also as peacemakers,” he said.

    The acting chair of AUN’s Communications and Multimedia (CMD) programme, Udo-Udo Jacob, who said Peace Journalism has crystalised in the last 10 years, however noted that it is yet to be well developed in practice, particularly in Nigeria.

    He said it was the first Peace Journalism workshop in Nigeria.

    The other facilitator, Don North, is a veteran journalist with rich experience in reporting conflicts from Vietnam, to Latin America and Iraq.

    In a keynote address AUN’s President, Prof Margee Ensign, articulated the role of the media in a pluralistic democracy.

    She spoke on “The Press & Democratic Reform in a Changing World:  Building Alliances for Good Governance and Accountability”, highlighting political instability and weak institutions as some of the critical challenges facing Nigeria.

    She also called for a more assertive role for the media in holding governments and political leaders accountable.

    The workshop had three sessions and an interactive panel discussion led by resource persons with strong industry experience. Participating journalists made their own invaluable contributions to factors militating against objective, accurate and factual reporting from the war front.

    It also provided them the opportunity to join the Peace Journalism Network, whose objective include providing an online forum for journalists to share experiences, exchange notes and develop best practices in peace reporting.

    The next workshop is scheduled for this month.

     

  • Journalists trained in Imo

    Journalists trained in Imo

    No fewer than 80 journalists have been trained for enhanced performance in Owerri, the Imo State capital. The trainees were drawn from various media houses in the state, including members of the council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). The workshop whose theme was “Re-engineering Imo journalists towards sustainable media and democracy growth in Nigeria”, held at Mayfair Suites and Conference Centre. It lasted three days. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha facilitated it in collaboration with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

    The journalists were trained in election reportage, effective media performance and the challenges and prospects of the media industry.

    The resource persons drilled the journalists on the application of modern technologies as relevant tools for effective media practice, the rights, privileges and limitations of journalists and the roadmap for effective performance.

    Dr. Saleh Dauda of the University of Abuja, in his paper titled the “Nexus Between Media and Democracy: Nigeria’s Example”, noted that the role of the media in the consolidation of every democracy cannot be over emphasised, adding that “the media being the watchdog of the society has a critical role to play”.

    He said, “Democracy and journalism are soul mates. You cannot have one without the other. It is only a democratic environment that can foster the best journalism.

    “Mass media and democracy have been established to be inter-twined. They cannot be divorced from each other. To govern therefore is to communicate. To democratise is to ensure free, unhindered flow of communication. In any democratic polity there must be a two-way communication flow, that is, from the government to the citizens and from the citizens to government. This is a time tested postulation, without which democracy cannot be established let alone consolidated”.

    The university teacher also stated that “the leadership role of the media is seen in the fight by the media to draw attention to bad policies of government and also to drum support for the positive initiatives of government. The watchdog role played by the media can be seen in thwarting former President Obasanjo’s attempt at a third term in office. The media mobilised support against the third term agenda”.

    Dauda affirmed that, “the media has performed well in respect to elections. They have provided the platform for Nigerians to have insight in the personalities of political office seekers. In Nigeria the media has played a significant role in the sustenance of democracy in several areas”.

    He concluded that for the media to continue to play its role in the growth and sustenance of democratic polity, “journalists should be trained and retrained; this will equip them to face the challenges of the 21st century which is knowledge driven. The freedom of information act should be implemented to the fullest and journalists should be motivated through welfare packages”.

    Dr Austin Uganwa in his paper titled “Roadmap for effective media performance in democratic Nigeria”, observed that social responsibility is the cornerstone of media practice in democracy, adding that “the greatest demand of social responsibility is that media should not only be participants in the political environment they operate but serve as social crusaders, political reformers and watchdog of public welfare”.

    He stressed that the media are expected to checkmate the perceived excesses of those in government and expose prevalent political and social ills in the society.

    Uganwa also posited that it is the role of the media under a democratic setting to among other things, expose corruption in high places, pursue the restoration and sustenance of the social, political and democratic values of the nation, advance the cause of democracy and good governance and strengthen all sectors of the economy.

    In his speech at the closing ceremony of the tree day event, Ihedioha disclosed that the workshop was designed to enhance the professional competence of Journalists in Imo State, adding that “considering the crucial place of the media in democracy, a workshop of this nature is symbolic and germane”.

    He noted that the training will have a far reaching effect in reinforcing media practitioners’ capacity towards driving the growth and development of democracy in the country.

    According to him, “evidently two fundamental objectives informed my desire to facilitate this training workshop. One was to re-empower Imo journalists towards consolidating their critical role in democracy. The other was to prepare them for the efficient coverage of the 2015 general elections.

    ”The significant nature of the enumerated goals informed the expansive participation base of the workshop by ensuring that all media organizations operating in the state have an opportunity to take part”.

    He added further that, “the critical role of the media in democracy, politics and policy making makes any workshop geared towards scaling up journalists to enable them report democratic institutions and structures much better, a development imperative”.

    Ihedioha charged the media to be alive to their responsibilities to the people and the nation, adding that, “the media not only inform, educate and entertain the people but serve as a veritable tool for social change, economic reform and democracy consolidation.

    ”In democracy therefore, the media serves essentially as one dynamic institution that builds bridges between the leaders and the led. The media essentially constitutes a genuine vehicle for democratic change, swaying rulers and the governed towards synthesised political orientation. Essentially the media operate to advance the cause of democracy and good governance; strengthening the polity, economy and ensuring the overall mechanisms of national development”.

    Commending the organisers and the Deputy Speaker for training journalists in the state, the state Chairman of NUJ, Sir Innocent Igwe, assured that the knowledge imparted in the cause of the workshop will assist the media in effectively covering the 2015 general elections.

    He however appealed for continued training and retraining of journalists in the state and the expansion of the programme to accommodate more participants.

    The Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Atan Agbakuru, described the timing of the training as apt, adding that the correspondents have benefited a great deal of the teachings of the renowned mass communication lecturers.

    He called on the state government and other political office holders to learn from the gesture of the Deputy Speaker and assist in alleviating the challenges of journalists in the state.