The President, International Press Institute, Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed has said that journalists must be viewed as allies and protected during the coming elections.
He said this in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday.
“We are sending an early warning advice to Tunji Disu. Especially as we go toward election, because we’ve observed that the rate of attacks on journalists usually go up during election period when journalists are covering the elections. And so it is important that they see journalists as allies. We are all in the business of developing our country from different directions”, he said.
Musikilu also noted that in previous years, journalists have been harassed and detained unlawfully during elections ,while legally discharging their journalistic duties.
“The media is a critical institution, especially for a democratic setting like ours. And the experience of the last few years are really disheartening, where journalists were harassed, you know, unlawfully detained, and in some cases assaulted, shot at while doing their legitimate duties.
“Journalism is not a crime. And journalists are not the enemy. They are not the enemy and they are not criminals. So why should you shoot at journalists? Why should you abduct a journalist from Abuja and take him to Bayelsa for harassment, for detention, for assault? Why should they continue to use the cybercrime law against journalists for doing their legitimate constitutional duties?”, he quizzed.
He revealed that the International Press Institute of Nigeria placed the immediate past IG of Police on the IPI Book of Infamy, as a result of the assaults on journalists.
“And that was why we placed the immediate past Inspector General of Police on IPI Book of Infamy. He was placed on our Book of Infamy. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to resolve that problem until he left office, and so his name will probably remain in that book”, he said.
Addressing the new Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, Musikilu said:
“Let me say clearly what we really want from the current IG: End all forms of harassment, intimidation, unlawful detention of journalists. Review and withdraw all pending cases that target journalists for carrying out legitimate professional duties. Institute a comprehensive reorientation program for police personnel.”
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