Nigerian Union Of Journalists Lambasts DSS over Assault on Journalist

The Nigerian Union of Journalists, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja council, has condemned the intimidation and harassment of journalists by personnel of the State Security Services during the trial of the 12 detained aides of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho).

The warning came on the heels of Monday’s unwarranted harassment and assaults by the DSS operatives on a photojournalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, Oluwagbemiga Olamikan, at the Federal High Court Abuja.

In a press statement jointly signed by Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche and Ochiaka Ugwu, Chairman and Secretary of the council respectively on Monday in Abuja, the union noted that it had become habitual for the SSS and other security agencies to assault journalists in the legitimate performance of their duties.

The council called for an immediate end to the use of excessive force against journalists and media workers in general.

The statement reads, “It is unfortunate to state that reporters and photojournalists were barred from covering the previous court session. Council lamented that in recent times, violence against journalists has increased with the authorities directing aggression towards journalists especially in terms of harassment, arbitrary detentions of journalists covering events making most journalists be concerned about their safety.

“It is worrisome that this is happening exactly one month after the NUJ launched a Five-Year-Review on press freedom in Nigeria starting from 2016 to 2021 where the report indicted state actors who have formed the habit of trying to gag the press always.

"However, the council has previously reported on the disproportionate use of force by the state actors against journalists during coverage with security operatives preventing audio and visual recordings of protests and public demonstrations.

“The number of cases where security operatives use excessive force and violence against journalists has significantly increased over the years. Journalists are responsible for providing the public with objective news and any attempt to prevent them from covering public events is a clear violation of the citizen’s right to access information.

“Relevant authorities must take all necessary measures to protect and ensure journalists’ safety on duty.”

The NUJ called on the SSS to rein in its operatives in its dealings with the media, noting that its arbitrary actions against journalists were embarrassing and further contributed to Nigeria’s poor ranking on the press freedom index.