The International Press Centre has expressed concern over the increasing attacks on journalists by security agents and hoodlums, which they believe are deliberate efforts to discourage them from reporting the truth about the protests.
A PUNCH photojournalist, Kayode Jaiyeola, had his camera and phones taken away by officials from the office of the National Security Adviser on Thursday. His belongings have not been returned yet.
On Friday, police officers in the Federal Capital Territory fired tear gas at journalists covering the protest at the Berger roundabout.
Additionally, masked security operatives fired shots at journalists at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Saturday. A Premium Times reporter’s car, carrying journalists, was hit by bullets.
In Borno State, nine Radio Ndarason Internationale staff members were arrested by security officials in Maiduguri while reporting on the protests. Other journalists covering the EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest have also faced harassment and victimization by either security agents or hoodlums.
In response to these attacks, IPC released a statement on Saturday through its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Akinjiyan, expressing concern that these incidents jeopardize the safety of the journalists involved and undermine the integrity of the information that citizens rely on to fully understand the crisis.
Akinjiyan stated, “As the #EndBadGovernance protests enter the third day, the International Press Centre, Lagos finds it totally appalling that journalists covering and reporting the protests are still being targeted, victimized and brutally assaulted by security officials.”
