Over 10 journalists attacked by police, thugs, counter-protesters in Nigeria

Over 10 journalists have been attacked by the police, political thugs and counter-protesters in the ongoing nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria.

CONVERSEER learned that the attack cut across the north, south, east and west of the country, with the Nigeria Police taking the lead in the attack and brutality.

According to a press statement by Achike Chude, National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), National Secretariat, Abuja, on Saturday, the states with the most attacks include Lagos, Cross River, Kano, Delta, Borno, and Abuja.

The statement said the 10 reported cases were recorded on the first and second day of the protest, that is, 1st and 2nd August 2024, as the journalists were covering the protest as part of their job, which is enshrined in the Nigerian and International constitutions.

The statement titled “INTIMIDATION, HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS MUST STOP! – NUJ,” reads thus:

“Following series of protests that rocked many parts of the country on Thursday and Friday, 1st and 2nd of August 2024, Nigerian journalists in their numbers went out as required by the demands of the profession to cover the events.

Unfortunately, the hydra headed monster of journalist intimidation, harassments and siezures of both official and personal assets of members of the press reared its ugly head once more. These acts were carried out by the state and non-state actors.

This sordid and unacceptable state of affairs, especially those perpetrated by state actors, is happening in spite of various conscious efforts by the NUJ to engage government officials and security forces to address the anti-democratic behaviours by those saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order.

We want to assure Nigerians and the authorities, that journalists will neither be cowed nor deterred from carrying out their responsibilities of engaging the society with a view of informing, enlightening and educating the citizens for the purpose of promoting the public good.

The following are recorded incidences of Journalists’ intimidation and harassment across the various theatres of protest activities in the country:

1. Lagos; Bernard Akede of News Central Television was interrupted and barred from conducting live interviews by police officers and LCC officials

2. Calabar, Cross River State; hoodlums attacked journalists, leaving Nigerian Tribune reporter Joseph Abasi-Abasi with severe injuries. The assailants targeted a bus belonging to the NUJ, which was carrying food supplies to the Ernest Etim Press Centre.

3. Jonathan Ugbal of Cross River Watch was arrested, beaten, and detained by police in Calabar before being released.

4. Abuja; Daily Independent photojournalist Jide Oyekunle was unlawfully arrested and had his mobile phone confiscated by police officers while covering protests. He was only released following spontaneous protest by other journalists.

5. Abuja; Olukayode Jayeola, a photojournalist with The PUNCH Newspaper, was arrested by police while covering the protest at Eagle Square. His camera, phones, including an M11, and other personal belongings were confiscated by security operatives.

6. Abuja; Yakubu Mohammed of Premium Times was brutally assaulted by police officers, who struck him with gun butts and batons, causing head injuries.

7. Mary Adeboye, a journalist with News Central Television, was exposed to teargas fired by police officers while reporting on the protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Also, Yakubu Mohammed of Premium Times was attacked and injured by Police officers who allegedly hit him with the butt of their guns and their batons and caused injuries to his head while covering the protest. Cameras belonging to journalists were also destroyed by Police officers.

8. Kano; Ibrahim Isah of TVC News was physically attacked by armed hoodlums, sustaining hand injuries.

9. In Delta State, some journalists came under attack by counter-protesters, allegedly supporting the government, while covering the demonstration. Prince Amour Udemude, an investigative journalist, Matthew Ochei of Punch Newspaper, Monday Osayande of Guardian Newspaper, and Lucy, a reporter with Pointer, were assaulted and had their equipment destroyed.

10. Nine Radio Ndarason Internationale staff members were arrested at RNI offices in Maiduguri as they were reporting on the protests.

These are just some of the incidents that have reached us.

We are currently investigating this unwholesome and troublesome assault on the profession and compiling a list of official and personal assets of journalists that were either lost, seized, or damaged to determine their value.

We expect nothing less than a public apology from the institutions responsible, as well as a replacement of the lost and damaged assets of the journalists.

Lastly, we call for a thorough investigation into these incidences, with a view to punishing the culprits.

Nigeria is supposed to be a country of law and order. We expect no less in terms of professional conduct from officials that are being maintained with state resources.”