By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Protecting Journalists in times of national crisis or public emergency was tops on the agenda as stakeholders from across the country converged on Abuja for the public presentation of documentaries on attacks on journalists and roundtable on protection of journalists as Frontline workers by the International Press Centre, IPC, to mark the 2022 World Press Freedom Day.
In a welcome speech, the Executive Director, IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said though the theme of this year’s celebration is “Journalism Under Digital Siege” they are focussing on another dimension of siege on journalism and the media in Nigeria which has to do with the lack of protection for journalists whenever by the nature of their professional calling, they become front liners during moments of national crisis or public emergency.
According to him, these situations arise and journalists brave the odds by throwing themselves into the mesh, they do so not for adventurism, but because they are the societal watchdog who have the obligation to provide credible information that government and citizens can rely upon to make desired interventions to resolve the crisis or bring the emergency under control.
The Executive Director, noted that by their responsibities, journalists and other media professionals who find themselves on the frontlines get molested and harassed without recourse hence Nigeria rates poorly in the World Press Freedom Index, with the country occupying an unenviable position of 120 in the year 2021, therefore, suggesting that the worst violations of journalists and media rights take place in the country.
Other speaking on the occasion, including Dr. Kole Shettima, of MacArthur Foundation, National President of journalists, Chris Isiguzo, vice president of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Aliyu Aliyu, a legal practitioner, Abdul Mahmud, among others, noted that democracy cannot thrive without the media hence the need to enlighten society especially the police which has remained recalcitrant about the importance of the media so they can understand what the media is doing for the people.
While calling that government should provide enabling environment for a free media, they cautioned that journalists should be mindful of their actions and reportage so as not to become guilty of what they accuse others.
On his part, a representative of the Inspector General of Police, said the Nigeria Police has opened a public complaints bureau to enable it communicate effectively with the public.
