The Nation Newspaper

Tag: journalists

  • Coalition decries criminalisation of journalists

    Coalition decries criminalisation of journalists

    …launches Don’t Police My Speech campaign 

    A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has launched a fervent protest against the increasing criminalization of journalists and civic defenders in Nigeria.

    The group, which includes legal and digital rights activists, including journalists is demanding an immediate end to the unwarranted arrests and harassment of media professionals.

    In a peaceful march to the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday, the coalition highlighted the critical role journalists play in promoting good governance and accountability.

    According to the group, journalists are partners in progress with the government and their job of informing the public and relaying feedback to the government which is essential for the development and deepening of democracy should not be criminalized with arrests, brutality and harassment.

    The CSOs that included Gatefield, SERAP, CJID, Dataphyte Foundation, Femme Mag, DigiCivic Initiative, Invictus Africa, Marie Claire and LightRay Media, among several others carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Journalism is Not a Crime’ and ‘Protect Our Free Speech’, expressed deep concerns over the misuse of the Cybercrimes Act.

    According to them, the State seems not to have realized the critical roles of journalists in nation-building considering that, originally intended to combat online criminal activity, the Act has increasingly been used to silence dissent.

    The coalition underscored the vital role journalists play in society, asserting that they must provide information and hold governments accountable.

    In her message to the government, Mojirayo Ogunlana, a legal practitioner and digital rights activist, who has defended journalists at both the National Court and the ECOWAS Court, cited numerous cases of harassment under the current administration.

    She said: “Despite its recent amendment, Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act continues to be misused by Nigerian security agencies in violation of the Nigerian constitution

    “From 2023 to the present, no less than 25 journalists have been criminalized by the police. This is unacceptable.

    “Freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, and it is disproportionate for governments to arrest journalists for doing their job.

    “The government should focus on tracking criminals, not opinions. Journalists’ role is to inform and empower citizens, not to be suppressed by government actions.”

    Shirley Ewang, the Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, called for heightened awareness and action, saying, “We are here because we are tired of the unlawful arrests of journalists and civil society members.

    “Our speech must be safeguarded, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

    Jide Oyekunle, Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), echoed the same sentiments, condemning the growing hostility towards media practitioners.

    Read Also: Kidnapped journalists: Police begin manhunt for abductors

    “Journalism is not a crime; it is essential for the positive development of a democratic society,” he asserted. The government has a moral and legal obligation to protect these rights”, he said.

    To emphasize the seriousness of the issue, the group also launched the ‘Don’t Police My Speech’, vowing to continue its fight for the protection of journalists and the fundamental right to free expression.

    “We will not abdicate our responsibility to protect and uphold the constitution. Security agents and government officials trying to stifle the media will not succeed; we will continue to stand by the people and uphold our duties,” Oyekunle said.

  • Journalists, security agencies attacked in Ebonyi community over chieftaincy tussle

    Journalists, security agencies attacked in Ebonyi community over chieftaincy tussle

    Policemen, soldiers, journalists, and many others, on Saturday escaped death in Nkomoro Community, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    The people of the community have been at war over chieftaincy stool.

    The State Correspondent of the Sun Newspaper, Uchenna Inya, Godwin Oguta, and Chinelo Okoro of the Radio Nigeria Unity FM, Abakaliki went to the community to cover the election/coronation of a traditional ruler of the community.

    Inya, Oguta, and Okoro were attacked by thugs, and the Corolla car belonging to the Sun Correspondent was vandalized.

    The thugs also attacked a Magistrate,  Amaechi Nwakpa, and some government officials, including the Secretary of Ezza North Local Government, Mrs. Samuel Nweke; Chika Igboke, and other officials, their cars were also vandalized.

    Read Also: NBC boss hails Enugu, Ebonyi states

    Motorcycles, tricycles, and other valuable properties were also destroyed by the thugs.

    The thugs were armed with weapons including sticks, rods, stones, and other weapons.

    Some members of the community had raised objections to the letter from the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters which ordered the coronation of a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jacob Nwakpa.

    The letter was read by Chika Igboke, the Coordinator of the Imoha Development Center.

    A member of the community immediately came out with a paper and said that there was a court order restraining the election and coronation of a traditional ruler of the community.

    He pleaded that the exercise should not hold.

    Ignoring the content of the letter, shortly after the letter had been read, Mr Jacob Nwakpa was crowned.

    However, after the coronation, youths armed with weapons blocked the entry and exit points of Okpoku Eze Secondary School, the venue of the exercise, and started vandalizing vehicles.

    It was gathered that the angry youths went inside the community and burnt some properties after vandalizing the vehicles.

    Meanwhile, some stakeholders of the community have blamed the Commissioner for Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs, Uchenna Igwe for the violent incident.

    They spoke in Abakaliki in a statement signed by Peter Nwafor and four others.

    They said the Commissioner in connivance with one Jacob Nwakpa decided to carry out the coronation of Mr. Nwakpa in total disregard of the order of Court of Competent Jurisdiction by unscrupulous elements led one of the aspirants to the stool.

  • NGO trains journalists on tech

    NGO trains journalists on tech

    A Non-Governmental Organisation, Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), has trained journalists, online actors, human rights defenders and content creators on digital literacy, fact-checking and digital resilience.

    The participants, at a step down training centered on digital autonomy and resilience; enhancing accuracy and reliability of information, were admonished to fight misinformation, identify credible sources, and use fact-checking techniques to build digital resilience.

    Read Also; NGO trains journalists, others on fact-checking, digital autonomy

    Executive Director of CEMESO Dr. Akin Akingbulu urged the participants to shun misinformation and disinformation, ‘as these would threaten the credibility of democratic systems and endanger the rights of the citizens of making informed decisions’.

    He added: “In our digital age, where information spreads rapidly and easily, false narratives can sway public opinion, distort political discourse, and manipulate electoral processes. These phenomena threaten the credibility of democratic systems and endanger the fundamental rights of citizens to make informed decisions.”

  • Unlawful treatment of journalists

    Unlawful treatment of journalists

    Less than two months after Segun Olatunji, Editor of FirstNews, an online medium, was unlawfully detained and tortured for two weeks by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), another journalist, Daniel Ojukwu, who works for the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was reported to be in detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Lagos, in circumstances that were against the law. He was reported to have been arrested by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police for alleged cybercrime on May 1.

    FIJ said Ojukwu’s whereabouts were initially unknown, but it was later discovered that he was in detention at Panti, accused of violating the Cybercrime Act. His relative was reported saying the police had indicated that he would be transferred to Abuja. At the time of the report, he was said to have been “held incommunicado for three days, with no access to legal representation.”

    There are disturbing similarities between the two cases. The arrests of the two journalists can be described as abductions. In Olatunji’s case, soldiers invaded his Abule-Egba home in Lagos State, and took him away. The military denied knowledge of his whereabouts. They flew him to Abuja blindfolded, and detained him for two weeks under harsh conditions before eventually releasing him following public and professional outcry.

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    Olatunji said they asked him about certain stories published in FirstNews, concerning the Chief of Defence Intelligence and the Chief of Staff to the President. Even after the International Press Institute (IPI) found out that the DIA was responsible for his detention and torture, according to the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Iyobosa Uwugiaren, “they lied that the journalist was not in their custody. Yet our sources were telling us we needed to act fast to save our colleague.”

    Lawlessness by state actors was also evident in Ojukwu’s case, which the FIJ initially treated as possibly a missing person case before locating him at Panti.  The police have not officially clarified his detention.

    In both cases, the lawless actions of the state actors involved are condemnable. In a democracy, state actors are not expected to resort to lawlessness in response to alleged wrongs committed by media practitioners.

     Nigeria’s security agencies must not create a climate of fear in the media by carrying out oppressive operations against journalists. The authorities must avoid giving the impression that state actors are above the law and can get away with unlawful treatment of journalists. That is unacceptable.

  • Press Corps chief celebrates workers, hails journalists for sacrifice

    Press Corps chief celebrates workers, hails journalists for sacrifice

    Chairperson of House of Representatives’ Press Corps, Grace Ike, has sent warm greetings to workers on May 1.

    She paid tributes to Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for its contributions to society.

    Ike, also vice chair of NUJ Correspondents Chapel in Federal Capital Territory, in a statement yesterday, hailed the resilience and dedication of workers amid challenges.

    She noted their commitment to duties, emphasising their role in developing the nation.

    Despite facing obstacles, Ike said the Nigerian worker remained steadfast and diligent in the pursuit of a better tomorrow.

    She said their perseverance would lead to improvements in their lives and the nation.

    Ike identified with workers’ quest for a living wage, recognising the importance of fair compensation for hard work.

    Read Also: ‘Edo APC Dep Gov candidate Idahosa not arrested in Europe’

    She lauded journalists for their patriotism and commitment in the face of adversity.

    Ike noted their role in information dissemination, promotion of core values, and  defence of national interests.

    The chairperson reaffirmed her support for workers and journalists, pledging to advocate their rights and welfare.

    She called on stakeholders to ensure that contributions of workers and journalists were recognised and appreciated, today and in the days to come.

  • NUJ President stresses important role of journalists in shaping society

    NUJ President stresses important role of journalists in shaping society

    The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr Christopher Isiguzo, has stressed the vital role journalists play in shaping the society and promoting national dialogue and understanding.

    Isiguzo, who is also the President, Congress of African Journalists, spoke at the opening of the 58th training course organized by the Union of African Journalists (UAJ) in Cairo, Egypt, in collaboration with The Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Cairo.

    He used the occasion to urge journalists not only to enhance their professional skills but also to forge lasting connections that transcend borders and strengthen the fabric of African journalism.

    “Together, we have the power to elevate our profession and amplify the voices of our communities,” he said.

    Read Also: Graça Machel: Meet woman who became First Lady of two different countries

    The NUJ President, who said it was an honor to address the opening ceremony, noted that the gathering of young journalists from across the continent signifies the vital role journalism plays.

    He commended the efforts of the UAJ in providing the platform for capacity building and networking.

    “Training programs like this empower journalists to uphold ethical standards, pursue excellence, and contribute meaningfully to our collective discourse.

    “I extend my gratitude to the organizers for their generous offer to cover all logistical arrangements, ensuring that our participants can focus entirely on their learning experience.

    “This commitment to supporting emerging journalists reflects the dedication of the UAJ and its partners to fostering a vibrant and informed media landscape in Africa.

    “To the participants gathered here today, I encourage you to seize this opportunity fully. Engage with your peers, absorb the knowledge shared by our esteemed trainers, and return to your respective countries equipped to drive positive change through your reporting,” he said.

    He urged participants to approach the training with enthusiasm and a commitment to excellence.

    “Your role as journalists is crucial in shaping narratives, promoting accountability, and fostering unity across our diverse continent.

    Thank you to the UAJ and its partners for this opportunity. Let us make the most of our time together and emerge stronger advocates for truth and transparency in African media,” Isiguzo said.

  • Fellowships for African writers, journalists

    Fellowships for African writers, journalists

    A plethora of prestigious fellowships and prizes are currently open for African writers and journalists, offering lucrative rewards and invaluable opportunities for career advancement.

    The opportunities include Caine Prize for African Writing, Humanitarian Reporting Fellowship by the New Humanitarian, Dag Hammarskjöld Fellowship and Spring Fellowship.

    For the Caine Prize for African Writing, African writers are invited to submit their published fiction for consideration for the esteemed Caine Prize.  With a £10,000 cash prize and travel grants for events, this competition presents a golden opportunity for literary recognition.

    The deadline for submissions is March 31. For more details and entry rules, visit [here](https://www.caineprize.com/rules-of-entry).

    The Humanitarian Reporting Fellowship by the New Humanitarian invites African journalists passionate about humanitarian reporting to apply for this fellowship.

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    They are offering a $2500 stipend, travel grants, and a £10,000 cash prize. This fellowship promises to empower journalists to shed light on critical humanitarian issues. The application deadline is March 31. Apply [here](https://careers.thenewhumanitarian.org/o/humanitarian-reporting-fellowship-2).

    Also, the Dag Hammarskjöld Fellowship wants freelance and full-time journalists to seize the opportunity to apply for the Dag Hammarskjöld Fellowship. With benefits including travel expenses and accommodation, this fellowship provides a platform for journalists to delve into international affairs.

    The application deadline is April 5. Learn more (https://unjournalismfellowship.org/).

    Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian, and South African writers who have not yet published a book are encouraged to apply for the SprinNG Fellowship.

      The fellowship is offering mentorship, training, and publishing opportunities. It aims to nurture emerging literary talent.

     The deadline for applications is April 15. Apply [here](https://sprinng.org/writing-fellowship).

     These prestigious opportunities serve as a testament to the wealth of talent within the African literary and journalistic spheres, providing avenues for recognition, professional development, and impactful storytelling.

  • Journalists urged to embrace data-driven reporting for accountability in Nigeria

    Journalists urged to embrace data-driven reporting for accountability in Nigeria

    A two-day training for investigative journalists in Abuja, Nigeria, has emphasised the importance of data, research, and evidence-based reporting.

    The training, titled ‘Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge’ (SPARK 2), was organized by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) in partnership with the International Budget Partnership (IBP).

    The executive director of ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan urged participants to prioritize data and research for credible and impactful journalism highlighting the role of investigative journalism in exposing corruption and underreported issues.

    He urged journalists not to only be concerned with writing reports and investigations but also to stress the importance of tracking the impact made by the reports or the investigation.

    The SPARK 2 fellowship is focused on health and agriculture interventions by the government and had 20 senior journalists from five states, including two of The Nation’s Reporters who participated in the training.

    The training covered sessions around solution journalism, writing for impact, using mobile phones for documentaries, photo and video shooting, and gender-based reporting.

    Read Also: Economy: Subsidy beneficiaries, smugglers fighting back, says Tinubu

    The Programme Coordinator of the Small-Scale Women Farmers’ Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Ogechi Okebugwu called on journalists to look into reporting the challenges faced by women farmers, who make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce.

    She pointed out that women farmers are being neglected across the country despite several of government interventions in agriculture.

    The SPARK 1 fellowship, according to the ICIR, a predecessor to SPARK 2, reportedly led to President Buhari ordering a probe into the spending of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

    The training further emphasised the need for journalists to go beyond reporting and track the impact of their work as participants were urged to use their skills to expose issues hindering Nigeria’s development and advocate for positive change.

  • ‘2023 deadliest year for journalists’

    ‘2023 deadliest year for journalists’

    A Geneva-based non-governmental organization with special consultative status with United Nations, The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), has described 2023 as the deadliest year in the last ten years with a record death of 140 journalists.

    According to the group, two-thirds of the victims were in Middle East, with almost one journalist killed every day in the last three months of the year in Gaza. 140 media workers were killed in 28 countries, with at least 81 of them killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7 (106 according to Gaza Media Office, the differences in the figures are due to differences in the qualification of the journalist profession).

    All the media workers killed in Gaza were Palestinian with most of them working for several media, including foreign media.
    PEC said they were killed in indiscriminate Israeli strikes, often in their homes, along with members of their families.

    PEC President, Blaise Lempen, said the group condemns the “indiscriminate strikes, which do not distinguish between civilians and Hamas fighters. While it is difficult to verify whether journalists were intentionally targeted or not, the Israeli army has systematically destroyed the Palestinian media in Gaza by bombing their offices and facilities.”

    The group noted that this is the highest media death toll in a conflict in such a short space of time, adding that it regretted that foreign media access to Gaza remains impracticable due to the security conditions, which prevents independent reporting from the parties to the conflict.

    PEC said 59 journalists were killed in 27 countries, outside of the Gaza Strip, pointing out that the situation did not improve in Mexico, where nine journalists were killed; and in Guatemala, the situation has deteriorated with five journalists killed. It stated that four journalists died in the war in Ukraine (1 Italian, 1 French, 2 Russians), as did 4 in Israel during the Hamas attack on October 7.

    According to PEC, three victims were recorded in Cameroon, India, Lebanon and Pakistan. Two victims were reported in the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Haiti, Nigeria, the Philippines, and the United States of America; and one journalist killed in the following countries: Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Paraguay, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Syria.

    By region, the Middle East led with 64% of cases, or 90 deaths, followed by Latin America with 20, Asia with 12, Africa with 11, Europe with four and North America with three. The PEC strongly condemned all the attacks and sent its condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones.

    The Geneva-based NGO called for those responsible for these crimes to be brought to justice as quickly as possible. In particular, it said the UN must investigate the exact circumstances in which Palestinian journalists have been killed since October 7.

    Read Also: Immortalising journalists

    Compared with 2022 (116 killed), a year marked by the start of the war in Ukraine, the increase in the number of victims is just over 20%. In 2012, the deadliest year since the beginning of the century, 141 journalists were killed (including 35 in the war in Syria).

    PEC statistics added that over the last five years (2019 to 2023), the most dangerous countries for media workers were the Gaza Strip (Palestine) where 81 media workers were killed, followed by Mexico with 61 and Ukraine with 39.

    Next was Pakistan with 32 deaths, India 31, Afghanistan 29, the Philippines 19, Honduras 14 and Syria 14, followed by Haiti 12 and Somalia 10.

    Over the last 10 years, (2014 to 2023), the figures show that 1,147 media workers were killed, an average of 2.2 per week.

  • Immortalising journalists

    Immortalising journalists

    God bless Abisola Itua, daughter of the Late Mr. Tayo Awotunsin of Champion Newspaper who was killed during the Liberia war in 1990 along with his Guardian colleague, Krees Imodibe, for bringing back the memories of the two journalists with her poem titled Heroes Without Garlands published on Saturday.

    Explaining the reason for writing the poem, Abisola who was six years old when the incident happened lamented that her father and Imodibe deserved to be better acknowledged and celebrated for the ultimate price they paid in the course of their official assignment.

    According to Abisola “they deserve to be immortalised. Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) should have a building or research centre in their names and they should start a foundation that caters for the well-being of children/wives of journalists who die in line of duty in their names.”

    “I can hear your cry, my nobles

    Your quest for acknowledgement

    I can feel your disappointment

    And your dissatisfaction

    At the triviality with which your great sacrifice

    And commitment is handled,” she wrote in a paragraph of the poem.

    Abisola is right. Her father, Imodibe and other journalists who have died on duty over the years should not be forgotten by the organisations they worked for, media professional associations, their colleagues and society generally.

    Their memories should be kept alive through programmes in their honour or places named after them and not be forgotten by those who should keep celebrating their exploits to inspire especially the younger generation of journalists.

    A lot has been done in memory of the late Editor-In-Chief of the defunct Newswatch Magazine who was killed with a letter bomb in 1986  which should be replicated for Awotunsin, Imodibe and others like them.

    The Chairman of the Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Solomon Obomighie, where Giwa hails from recently instituted an essay competition in honour of the late renowned investigative journalist.

    The council chairman explained that the essay competition for secondary schools was aimed at celebrating and promoting the values that Giwa embodied throughout his career.

    Read Also: Capacity building training for journalists

    The place of outstanding journalists in the history of journalism in the country should be fully documented in books and other publications which should be part of studies by journalism students.

    I’m aware that The Guardian, Champion and media groups supported the families of the deceased and organized some programmes to honour them back when they were officially pronounced dead, but deliberate efforts should be made to sustain such initiatives. Over the years, the initial sympathy that usually follows the death of journalists doesn’t last long and proper structures are not put in place to ensure that plans and promises are followed through. 

    An annual event and awards to remember journalists who die on duty are not too much for the sacrifice they made. Foundations set up in memory of journalists should be properly managed to ensure their sustainability as we have in some other climes.

    Apart from insuring the lives of journalists, there should be adequate provisions to support the families of journalists who die on duty.

    How deceased journalists are supported and honoured will go a long way in encouraging those still practising to be as committed as they should be.

    The issue of security of journalists should also be prioritised by their employers and individuals. Risk assessment of every major assessment should be done to avoid exposing Journalists to unnecessary risks.

    As much journalists should be daring in going about their getting stories, it should be clear to all concerned that no story is worth dying for.