Your Harassment Of Journalists Must Stop – NUJ Tells DSS
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council has called for an immediate end to the use of excessive force against journalists and media workers in general by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).
This is as the Union condemned in strong terms what it described as “the continued” intimidation and harassment of journalists by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The NUJ specifically sated that the unwarranted action of the DSS against journalists carrying out their lawful duties is a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law.
The NUJ position followed Monday’s unwarranted physical assault and brute harassment of a photo journalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, Oluwagbemiga Olamikan, at the Federal High Court, Abuja
A statement jointly signed by the NUJ FCT chapter Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche and Secretary, Ochiaka Ugwu, the union said that it has become habitual for the DSS and other security agencies to pick at journalists in the legitimate performance of their duties.
According to the NUJ; “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”.
However, council had previously reported on the disproportionate use of force by the state actors against journalists during coverage with security operatives preventing audio and visual recordings of protests and public demonstrations.
“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.”
The Union therefore called on the DSS to rein in its operatives in its dealings with the media, saying that its arbitrary actions against journalists have become very embarrassing and further contributing to Nigeria’s poor ranking on the press freedom index.
