CPJ Impunity Index: Journalists, Other Nigerians, Guaranteed Safety Under President Buhari Administration -Malami

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has assured the United Nations (UN) that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is committed to ending “impunity for crimes against members of the public including the journalists.”

Malami’s reaction is coming days after the United States-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) removed Nigeria from its “2020 Global Impunity Index”, which captured countries where journalists are murdered and their killers go free.

“Nigeria is the only country to come off the index this year. One murder in that country, from 2009, is not included in the decade now under scrutiny,” CPJ had stated in its report seen by THE WHISTLER.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney-General, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Malami noted that the Buhari administration was already taking concrete steps in all strata which could culminate in a peaceful and progressive society.

“In his message commemorating the United Nation proclaimed November 2nd as International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the Minister said it is gratifying to note that Nigeria is no longer among the countries with impunity for crimes against journalists.

“The 2020 global index for impunity for crimes against journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), released on Wednesday 28th day of October 2020 indicated that Nigeria is the only country that came off the index from 2019.

“Malami described the achievement as a result of deliberate and committed efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government through the implementation of many reforms in the Nigerian justice sector to include increased access to justice, speedy justice dispensation, decongestion of Nigeria’s correctional centers and judicious implementation of the Criminal Justice Act and Justice Sector reforms.

“He expressed optimism that with solid foundation of reformed justice sector to be bequeathed by Buhari Administration, never again will Nigeria feature among nations where journalists, citizens and inhabitants of the country will suffer from any form of impunity in the future,” the statement partly read.

Meanwhile, the AGF urged journalists to conduct their duties without bias, adding that they should “adhere strictly to the ethical provisions of their profession and refrain from misinformation and fake news.”

“Government is working to ensure safety of journalists against rhetorical aggression, trolling, incursion of privacy, phissing and cyber attacks.

“With the implementation of cybercrime Act 2015 the incidences of cyber related crimes would be minimised.

“There was no room for complacency in ensuring serene online and off-line atmosphere of journalism practice in the country,” he stressed.

The statement reads further:

“He said that it could be recalled that in the last decade, before the advent of the present administration, Nigeria ranked 13th across the globe and used to be among top three African countries with impunity for crimes against journalists only after Somalia and South Sudan.

“The Minister said the recent developments in the Nigeria’s international arbitration against P&ID and some international oil
companies are but indicators of resolute determination of the Federal Government to bring to an end the era of impunity and lack of adherence to due diligence and rule of law in governmental operations.”