The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have urged President Bola Tinubu, state governors, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to protect journalists and end rising insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria. The call coincided with World Press Freedom Day and followed a conference on the media's role in promoting accountability and access to justice, held yesterday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja. The groups cited Benue, Borno, Kwara, Plateau, and Sokoto states as areas where violence, abductions, sexual violence, and destruction of property persist. Thousands have reportedly been killed and millions displaced, with rural communities, women, and children most affected.
SERAP and NGE stated that protecting journalists is central to peace, security, and democratic stability. They emphasized that Nigeria's obligations under the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights require authorities to prevent harm, investigate violations, and ensure justice. The groups noted that impunity undermines governance and enables corruption and misinformation. They cited Section 22 of the Constitution, which tasks the media with holding government accountable, and stressed that authorities must actively safeguard journalists. The groups called for prompt, independent investigations into human rights violations, prosecution of perpetrators and their sponsors, and remedies for victims, including compensation and guarantees of non-repetition.
SERAP and NGE demand action from the same officials who have presided over worsening violence in northern states where journalists operate under threat. The call for protection of the press rings hollow while killings, abductions, and displacement continue unchecked in Benue, Borno, Kwara, Plateau, and Sokoto. If authorities cannot secure communities, the promise of a safe environment for journalists remains theoretical. The failure to investigate past attacks makes new appeals for accountability appear performative.
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