Edith CHUKU
For condemning recent attack on journalists covering political rally, the Media Rights Agenda MRA, has commended Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibraham Abdullahi Waiya.
MRA gave this commendation in a statement made available to TNN on Monday, by its Senior Legal Officer, Iluobe Adams.
The rights group urged the information commissioner to follow up his position with concrete action to ensure that the perpetrators were identified, arrested and brought to justice.
MRA called for the establishment of a more systematic mechanism for protecting journalists covering political activities in Kano State, which she said could include regular consultations between the ministry of information, security agencies, political parties, the NUJ and media organisations.
According to the statement, “condemnation is an important first step, but accountability is the necessary next step. The Commissioner can demonstrate the seriousness of his position by ensuring that this case does not disappear without a proper investigation, identification of the perpetrators and appropriate legal consequences.
“A vehicle belonging to Radio Nigeria’s Pyramid FM, conveying four of the station’s staff, a journalist from Guarantee Radio and another journalist from the Daily Trust newspaper, was reportedly attacked by hoodlums armed with machetes and knives, who repeatedly hit the vehicle with their weapons, leaving the driver with injuries, while some of the journalists were hit by broken glass from the damaged vehicle. The journalists were attacked shortly after covering an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
“MRA welcome Commissioner Waiya’s strong condemnation of the attack and, particularly, his recognition that journalists performing their legitimate professional duties must be protected and allowed to work without fear, intimidation or harassment. The organization is encouraged by the commissioner’s call on security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident, identify those responsible and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice in accordance with the law.
“We commend Commissioner Waiya for taking a clear and principled position against the attack on journalists and for recognizing that protecting journalists is essential to protecting democracy. However, we urge the Commissioner to go beyond condemnation by personally following up on the investigation and using his position within the State Government to ensure that the relevant security agencies take prompt and effective action.”
MRA called on the commissioner to engage directly with security authorities to ensure that a prompt and transparent investigation is conducted, that regular updates on the progress of the inquiry are provided, and that the findings of the investigation are made public while identified perpetrators, regardless of their political affiliation or connections, are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The statement also urged the commissioner to engage with the management of Pyramid FM, the affected journalists and the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to obtain a first-hand account of the incident and determine whether additional measures are required to protect journalists covering political activities in the State.
Such follow-up action, MRA insisted, would send a powerful message to political actors, their supporters and other groups that violence against journalists will not be tolerated in the State.
The rights group stressed that an attack on journalists covering a political event is not merely an attack on individual media workers but also an attack on the public’s right to know and on the democratic process itself, as journalists play a critical role in providing citizens with information about political parties, candidates, policies and public events, enabling voters to make informed decisions.
“Any attempt to intimidate, assault or prevent journalists from carrying out this function undermines citizens’ ability to participate meaningfully in democratic processes, and a failure to investigate and prosecute attacks on journalists could encourage further attacks as political competition increases.
“Commissioner Waiya should regard the incident as an opportunity to establish a more systematic mechanism for protecting journalists covering political activities in the state. Such mechanism could include regular consultations between the Ministry of Information, security agencies, political parties, the NUJ and media organizations; clear protocols for the protection of journalists at political gatherings; and mechanisms for rapidly reporting and responding to attacks or threats against media workers.”
MRA also called on political parties and their supporters, security agencies, event organizers and other stakeholders to recognize the legitimate role of journalists at political events and take proactive measures to guarantee their safety.
Further, it urged media organizations to strengthen safety protocols for journalists covering political rallies and other potentially volatile assignments, including conducting risk assessments, establishing emergency communication arrangements and ensuring that journalists have access to timely legal and security assistance.
MRA reaffirmed that it would continue to monitor developments concerning the incident and urged the authorities to provide timely information on the outcome of the investigation.
