NUJ Demands End To Bullying Of Journalists By DSS

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT council, has kicked against rising cases of harassment and intimidation of journalists by the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.

The NUJ FCT said intimidating journalists discharging their legitimate duties threatens democracy and the rule of law.

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The union was reacting to the alleged physical harassment of a photojournalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, Oluwagbemiga Olamikan, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.

Operatives of the DSS had reportedly confiscated the journalist’s phone for snapping 12 detained associates of Yoruba nation activist, Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemo, when the state security service brought them to court after flouting two previous orders to produce them in court.

The suspects had been arrested during a midnight raid on Igboho’s residence in Oyo State.

In its reaction, the NUJ said it condemned in strong terms the harassment of the journalist by the DSS operatives.

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The union’s reaction was contained in a statement issued by its chairman and secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche and Ochiaka Ugwu, respectively,

“It is unfortunate to state that reporters and photojournalists were barred from covering the previous court session. Council lamented that in recent time, 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 to 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.

“The number of cases where security operatives use excessive force and violence against journalists has significantly increased over the years. Journalists are responsible in 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 use of excessive force by the security operatives against those who are exercising their fundamental rights such as press freedom and holding government accountable to the people cannot be met with constant intimidation,” it said.

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THE WHISTLER recalls how our correspondent was similarly attacked by Nigerian soldiers while covering the 2019 general elections in Abuja.

The soldiers had smashed our correspondent’s mobile phone for taking pictures of activities around the Nyanya Gbagyi polling unit during the elections.

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