A coalition of Civil Society Organizations has launched a fervent protest against the increasing criminalization of journalists and civic defenders in Nigeria.
The group, which includes legal and digital rights activists and journalists is demanding an end to the arrests and harassment of media professionals.
In a peaceful march to the Ministry of Justice, the coalition highlighted the critical role journalists play in promoting good governance and accountability.
According to the group, journalists are partners in progress with the government and their job of informing the public and relaying feedback to the government which is essential for the development and deepening of democracy should not be criminalized with arrests, brutality and harassment.
The CSOs expressed deep concerns over the misuse of the Cybercrimes Act.
In her message to the government, Mojirayo Ogunlana, a legal practitioner and digital rights activist, who has defended journalists at both the National Court and the ECOWAS Court, cited numerous cases of harassment under the current administration.
She said despite its recent amendment, Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act continues to be misused by Nigerian security agencies in violation of the Nigerian constitution.
Shirley Ewang, the Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, called for heightened awareness and action, saying, we are here because we are tired of the unlawful arrests of journalists and civil society members. She said speech must be safeguarded, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Jide Oyekunle, Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), echoed the same sentiments, condemning the growing hostility towards media practitioners.
Speaker
Jide Oyekunle
Video Source: News Central
