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Tag: journalists

  • Supplementary polls: Journalists escape lynching in Kano

    Some journalists covering the supplementary governorship election in Kano State on Saturday escaped lynching by some suspected thugs at Suntulma Primary School in Gama ward of Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

    NAN reports that the journalists who were in the area to monitor the poll, were chased out of the place by the hoodlums.

    Trouble began when some of the newsmen tried to interview some voters who were denied access into the classrooms where some of the polling units were stationed.

    While trying to flee the troubled area, some of the journalists fell on ground and one of them (name withheld), had to take refuge in a nearby Mosque in order to save his life.

    NAN also reports that some of the reporters had their clothes torn by the thugs.

    Speaking to journalists, some voters alleged that they were not allowed to exercise their franchise as they were chased out of the area.

    One of them, Aminu Tijjani, said he went to the primary school to cast his vote at his polling unit but had to return to escape the hoodlums’ attack.

    “The situation is very bad and this is not how to conduct an election where people or voters are denied the opportunity to vote,” Mr Tijjani said.

    Another voter, Sani Abdullahi, said he came to vote as early as 8 a.m. but was scared away by the suspected thugs numbering about 10.

    Meanwhile, voting has commenced in other affected polling units across the 28 local government areas of the state.

    NAN reports that the re-run election is being conducted to decide the winner between two candidates – Abba Kabir-Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 1,014,477 votes, and incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 987,810 votes in the first poll conducted on March 9.

    The margin between the candidates stood at 26,655 votes in favour of Mr Kabir-Yusuf.

  • Journalists urged to maintain neutrality in election reporting

    Journalists urged to maintain neutrality in election reporting

    Stakeholders on Thursday in Kaduna urged Media practitioners to maintain neutrality in reporting the 2019 general elections for peace and security of the country.
    This is contained in an 11-point Communique issued at the end of a one-day maiden quarterly lecture of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), held at the Arewa House, Kaduna.
    The topic of the lecture was, Media Practice, Ownership and Ethical Delimas in Electron Coverage.
    It was meant to sensitise practitioners on dangers of partisanship in elections coverage.
    The lecture coming barely two weeks to the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly polls, was delivered by Malam Mahmud Jega, Deputy Editor-In-Chief, Media Trust limited, and chaired by Prof. Muhammad Tanko, Vice Chancellor, Kaduna State University.
    In the Communique, the participants urged media practitioners to “at all cost be neutral and accountable in their election coverage and reportage.”
    The stakeholders tasked Media owners on the need to allow professionalism and ethical conduct to guide their operations.
    “The lecture noted with concern the proliferation of unethical practices among Journalists in general reporting and elections coverage in particular.
    “Practitioners must always be guided by the election regulations as contained in the Electoral Act.
    “Participants urged the government and relevant agencies to open up the space to allow journalists access information freely.”
    They said issues of excessive secrecy of government officials, liberalization of media ownership, attitude of politicians had killed professionalism in the sector.
    The stakeholders also identified lack of good working knowledge, poor training, state-of-the-art working tools as well as poor remuneration of media practitioners as factors affecting efficiency in service delivery.
    “Some media owners even prevent their reporters from covering events of opposition political parties and elections.”
    The stakeholders also urged journalists to shun peddling hate speech and fake news, adding that “media men should as a matter of necessity interrogate claims and ensure accuracy from all news sources before going to press.”
    The communique said reporters should understand that international election observers always pay attention to media that give equal opportunity to political parties and politicians holding different opinions.
    “That is one of the key yardsticks for measuring the credibility of our electoral process.
    “For the media to carry out their responsibilities adequately, they must be knowledgeable about Nigeria’s political history with cognisance to the culture and values of the people.”
    They tasked relevant media regulatory agencies to apply appropriate sanctions on erring media organisations and practitioners.
    “Better working condition and remuneration of media practitioners should be provided to address the institutionalization of brown envelop syndrome that affects election coverage.”
    They called on Media organisations to, from time to time, organise lectures and seminars to further refresh and update the knowledge of reporters for effective coverage.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, representatives of Security agencies as well as members of the academia attended the event.

  • 1,100 journalists murdered over a decade – UN

    No fewer than 1,100 journalists were murdered over a decade in the , the UN has said.

    In 2018 alone, at least 88 journalists have been killed, according to the UN.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a video message for the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists’, marked annually on Nov. 2, called the killing of journalists “outrageous”.

    The UN chief also regretted that the journalists were killed in line of duty.

    Guterres said: “The killing of journalists around the world for doing their job is ‘outrageous’ and should not become the ‘new normal’.

    “In just over a decade, some 1,010 journalists have been killed for reporting the news, and in nine out of 10 cases, the perpetrators are never brought to justice”.

    The UN chief said many thousands more have been “attacked, harassed, detained or imprisoned on spurious charges, without due process”.

    The Secretary-General paid tribute to the reporters in the field “who do their jobs every day despite intimidation and threats.”

    He, however, called on the international community “to protect journalists and create the conditions they need to do their work”.

    To mark the International Day, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is launching an initiative to fuel awareness on the issue of journalists killed on the job.

    Called ‘Truth Never Dies’, it encourages people to share stories by and about fallen journalists to keep their legacies alive and to push for investigations into their deaths to be continued.

    “The truth never dies. And neither must our commitment to the fundamental right to freedom of expression,” the UN Chief said, highlighting that when journalists are attacked “societies as a whole pay a price”.

    A study on global trends in media published by UNESCO in 2017 highlighted that impunity for crimes against journalists remained the norm, and trends in kidnappings, disappearances and torture had shown substantial increases since 2012.

    The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in September, calling on the international community to promote strategies that protect journalists and bring perpetrators of violence against the media to justice.

  • Zimbabwe police chase away journalists waiting for briefing by opposition leader

    Zimbabwe police chase away journalists waiting for briefing by opposition leader

    Zimbabwean riot police chased away journalists waiting for a news
    conference by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa on Friday, shouting “out, out,” a Reuters
    witness said.

    Chamisa has questioned the outcome of Monday’s presidential election, in which he lost out to President
    Emmerson Mnangagwa from the ruling Zanu-PF party.

    Chamisa on Friday slammed the “fake results” of the country’s historic election that returned incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa to power.

    The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s “scandal of releasing unverified fake results is regrettable,” the
    40-year-old leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Twitter.

    “ZEC denied our election agent access to results be4 announcement.ZEC must release proper & verified results
    endorsed by parties,” Chamisa tweeted.

    Results released overnight Thursday gave Mnangagwa 50.8 percent of the vote and Chamisa 44.3 per cent.

    While Mnangagwa welcomed the results and called for peace, Chamisa rejected the outcome outright.

    “The level of opaqueness, truth deficiency, moral decay & values deficit is baffling,” the MDC leader said.

    During the televised presentation of the results, Chamisa’s spokesman attempted to give a speech but was
    heckled and booed offstage by locals who said they wanted to hear from the commission.

    Harare – which voted heavily for Chamisa – was quiet Friday with no signs of celebration.

    There had been an uneasy calm in the city since a brutal crackdown on protesters by security forces
    on Monday, in which six people were killed.

    The poll was the first in almost four decades without longtime leader Robert Mugabe on the ballot.

    Mugabe, 94, had grown increasingly unpopular for his repressive rule and the country’s economic malaise.

    He was ousted in a military coup in November and replaced by erstwhile ally Mnangagwa.

    “This is a new beginning. Let us join hands, in peace, unity & love, & together build a new Zimbabwe
    for all!” Mnangagwa tweeted after winning.

  • Chrisland school attacks journalists, calls ‘rape story’ conspiracy against its brand

    Chrisland school attacks journalists, calls ‘rape story’ conspiracy against its brand

    The Chrisland School on Tuesday sought to protect its brand and reputation in a letter to parents as the news of the defilement of a two year, 11 month old female pupil, by the school’s supervisor went viral.

    The story captured courtroom proceedings on Monday of the trial of Adegboyega Adenekan, the school’s supervisor, who allegedly defiled the female pupil.

    A video of the pupil in which she narrated how she was allegedly and serially defiled by Adenekan was played at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court during the testimony of a clinical psychologist.

    Chrisland School, however, on Feb. 13 in an email sent to parents of pupils of the school which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) noted that it has an untarnished reputation in its 40-year existence.

    The school claimed that it had put in place measures to protect children and blamed the media for trying to tarnish its brand.

    The school management wondered why the media were feasting on the case, which started since November 2016.

    “Ours is an organisation with zero tolerance to abuse in whatever form and we have put in place structures and policies to ensure child protection in all our schools,” the email said.

    Chrisland School clarified that the alleged incident took place at the Victoria Garden City (VGC) branch of the school and not the Lekki branch as reported in some quarters.

    Throwing light on events that transpired in the case, the school said “It all started when a mother alleged that her daughter was molested.

    “We were baffled that a mother could keep quiet and not notify the school or report it for two weeks.

    “We also wondered why she left the child in the school for a month if indeed she was molested in the same school.”

    Chrisland School claimed that it immediately set up a committee to investigate the allegation and reported the matter to the Ajah Police Station.

    The school expressed doubts that the alleged defilement occurred on their premises noting that it had cooperated with the police, and the agencies involved in the case and had vowed to prosecute Adenekan if he was found guilty.

    “The Lagos State Quality Assurance officers visited the school twice, interviewed many people including parents, staff and pupil and conducted an extensive investigation but nothing was found,” the email said.

    The school further claimed that journalists who attended court proceedings and reported the trial were in “solidarity” with the child’s mother.

    According to Chrisland School: “The issue erupted and took a fierce dimension when journalists who witnessed the court sitting last week in solidarity with the plaintiff who is a blogger started writing malicious stories (which are not a true picture of court proceedings) being circulated online.

    “At the court proceedings, journalists were warned to be mindful of their stories since the matter is still in court.

    “And is still an allegation until the accused is found guilty but they have continued with reckless abandon.”

    Chrisland School alleged that journalists were paid to publish the allegedly malicious stories and there was a conspiracy against the brand of the school.

    “We believe there is a conspiracy against the Chrisland brand and this is nothing but paid journalism.

    “We pray that the good Lord will vindicate us.

    “Please be assured that your children are in safe hands. We have successfully built a solid reputation over the last 40-years and we continue to stand for excellence,” the school said.

  • 3 Kenyan journalists, fearing arrest, “camp out” in their newsroom

    3 Kenyan journalists, fearing arrest, “camp out” in their newsroom

    Three Kenyan journalists said on Thursday they spent the night in their newsroom in fear of arrest, watching plainclothes policemen camped outside.

    They said that their lawyers would file court petitions in the morning seeking to ensure their freedom.

    Their station, NTV, was one of three independently owned stations shut down by Kenyan authorities on Tuesday after they broadcast live coverage of an opposition ceremony symbolically “swearing in” opposition leader Raila Odinga.

    “We were doing our job, we had the right to do this, and if I was to do it again, I’d do it the same way,” NTV senior anchor Ken Mijungu told Reuters after an anxious night spent conferring with lawyers and wondering if police would appear with arrest warrants.

    He said his colleagues, Larry Madowo and Linus Kaikai, had all been independently warned by security sources on Wednesday that their arrest was imminent.

    In the early evening, when men they believed were plainclothes police appeared outside their office building, they were advised by the station’s management to stay inside.

    By morning, the men were still in their newsroom.

    “Our head of security said he has reason to believe they have gone for reinforcements,” said Madowo, 30, who was producing coverage on Tuesday before authorities took NTV off air.

    In African states with entrenched rulers such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon, governments have asked telecommunications companies to block social media, mainly during elections and protests.

    The shutdown of TV stations in Kenya came as a shock to journalists used to operating freely.

    “This is clearly a slide to dictatorship. It’s a return to a repressive period we had forgotten about,” said Madowo.

    “We are becoming another African country with these kinds of issues.”

    Kaikai, who is also chairman of the Kenya Editors’ Guild, said editors had been warned by authorities that they could be shut down if they covered the event.

    The stations would stay off air indefinitely, the government said on Wednesday, as it investigates the symbolic oath by Odinga, directly challenging President Uhuru Kenyatta.

    Interior Minister Fred Matiang‘i accused media organizations of facilitating the “illegal act”, which he said put the lives of thousands of Kenyans at risk.

    “This is a gross abuse of the law and complete disregard for the constitution,” said Mijungu.

    Also on Wednesday, police arrested Tom Kajwang, an opposition lawmaker who administered Odinga’s “oath”.

    He was expected to be charged on Thursday with administering an unlawful oath, a security source told Reuters.

     

    Buhari writes Senate, reiterates commitment to ending farmers, herdsmen clashes

  • NUJ blows hot over incessant assault on journalists, says ‘Enough is enough’

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday condemned the incessant assault melted out to its members by some military operatives.

    The reaction is coming after a Photojournalist with Daily Trust newspapers, Mr. Ikechukwu Ibe by an Army Captain.

    The NUJ noted that such brutal acts by operatives of the military in a democratic setting was uncalled for.

    The reaction was contained in a statement signed and issued by the secretary of the union, Rafat Salami.

    Read the full statement below:

    The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council condemns in its strongest terms, the unwarranted assault on a Photojournalist with Daily Trust newspapers, Mr. Ikechukwu Ibe by an Army Captain. Ibe was carrying out a legitimate assignment of news gathering on Thursday, October 26, 2017, at Jabi area of Abuja.

    Journalist Ibe was brutally assaulted leaving him with multiple lacerations and swollen eyes. Curiously, the over zealous military officers confiscated his camera, removed and destroyed the memory card just because he took some pictures of a vehicle that ran into a restaurant in Jabi.

    The NUJ to say the least, is disheartened over the ugly incident. Rather than treat journalists as partners in nation building, security agents have consistently treated journalists as enemies who must be crushed.

    More saddening is the fact that the assault took place just as Nigeria is preparing to commemorate the “International Day to End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists” on November 2.

    This is unacceptable in a civilised and democratic nation where the Rule of Law must be allowed to thrive. It is a clear case of gross violation of the rights of the journalist.

    According to Ibe: “When I got there at about 3:00 pm, I introduced myself to the security men on ground and told them I would like to take some pictures”.

    He said when he started taking the pictures, the Army Captain, who wore a camouflage without a name tag and part of the Joint Ministerial Taskforce which included men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), pounced on him and started beating him up without provocation.”

    “They collected my camera, broke it and took my memory card which contained the photos that I had taken. They also tore my clothes before bundling me into a Black Maria where I met six other persons. I later put a call across to my photo editor and the Daily Trust Editor, who brought a pair of trousers to me at the Life Camp Police station where I was taken to.

    My editors later secured my release and my broken camera was handed back to me without the memory card. However, my Identity card and N3,700 cash in my pocket were not returned,” he said.

    The NUJ calls on government to

    1. bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act on this law abiding citizen, who was only doing his job to book,
    2. Immediately replace his camera,
    3. Adequately compensate Mr Ibe for the brutalization meted on him
    4. Tender an unreserved apology from the highest authority while putting up mechineries to prevent future incidences.

     

    Signed

    Rafat Salami

    Secretary

     

  • Soldiers who assaulted journalists during clash with IPOB will be punished – Army

    Soldiers who assaulted journalists during clash with IPOB will be punished – Army

    The Nigerian Army has said soldiers who participated in the assault on journalists in Umuahia during a clash with members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Tuesday, will face disciplinary actions for their “unfortunate” misconduct.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that at least two journalists were reportedly assaulted by troops in the Abia State capital in the afternoon. The soldiers accused the journalists of filming them as they rode by the state secretariat of Nigerian Union of Journalists.

    The journalists said the troops smashed their mobile phones and other electronic devices during the incident, which occurred when the soldiers were allegedly trying to barricade the residence of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    The soldiers also clashed with supporters of Kanu as they attempted to place him on house arrest.

    The incident has sparked tension across the state, prompting Governor Okezie Ikpeaze to declare a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state’s commercial town of Aba.

    In his reaction to the soldiers’ assault on journalists, Oyegoke Badamosi, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Army 14 Brigade in Ohafia, said preliminary investigation has revealed that soldiers indeed launched aggression against the reporters who were on their legitimate duties.

    “What happened was that while the soldiers on patrol near the Abia State NUJ Secretariat, they noticed some people filming them.

    “Unfortunately, they seized and damaged their recording devices; an iPad and 2 mobile phones. Preliminary investigation shows that the items belong to journalists on their legitimate duties.

    “Consequently, the Commander 14 Brigade and Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division waded into the matter which has since been resolved amicably.”

    Mr. Badamosi, a major, however, said some media outlets had exaggerated the incident.

    “The magnitude is not as was reported,” he said.

     

  • Journalists mobilise support for sacked TVC/Radio Continental staff

    Journalists mobilise support for sacked TVC/Radio Continental staff

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Radio, Television, Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), have spoken against Friday’s sack of 145 staff of Television Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental.

    The unions, in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos said that due process was not followed in the exercise, which the unions said they would take up with the management of the media organisations.

    Lagos NUJ Council Chairman, Mr Deji Elumoye disclosed that investigations had revealed that TVC had a lopsided remuneration system where a few expatriates and management staff earned more salaries than the entire workforce.

    Elumoye said that the sack was ill-timed, as according to him, the organisation was clocking 10 years and was supposed to be celebrating its anniversary.

    “We even have the case of an expatriate whose salary is more than half of the salaries of the entire workforce that has been sacked.

    “I do not know why the company had that type of structure at the top, where an individual is earning more than what the 145 disengaged staff were earning.

    “The sack came at a very wrong time when the media is going through a trying period and we believe the management did not get their priorities right,” he said.

    The NUJ council chairman said that the method of disengagement did not comply with labour laws.

    Elumoye explained that information available to the union showed that the staff were served letters after a long wait, without their severance packages.

    “We want to engage the management on why they were disengaged the staff without provision for their severance packages.

    “It has been in the news for some time, the management ought to have worked on it and given them their cheques, compute their entitlements and also give it to them.

    “To us, an injury to one is an injury to all and that is why we (the NUJ) will engage the management on why they should do this, especially when they are talking of their 10th anniversary,’’ he said.

    The chairman explained that by next week, the union would take up the issue to see if the management could reverse its decision.

    He said that information available to the union showed that the entire workforce of TVC was about 300, adding that 145 were too many to be laid off at once.

    “What are the parameters used in laying off more than half of the workforce and why such a drastic decision?’’ he asked.

    Mr Dare Durosimi, Lagos Council Chairman, RATTAWU, said that the sack was wrong and ill-timed.

    “I think this happened because of the economic situation. They want to restructure to make more money; all the same, we are shocked about this.

    “We will go into the issue to know what happened, so that we can come up with an official position.

    “We will visit the organisation and also see the affected staff, so as to take necessary action.

    “Even if the sacked staff officially belong to our union or not, the union would still stand for them,’’ he said.

    Also, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), during its monthly congress in Ikeja on Saturday, condemned the sack.

    Mrs Stella Sawyer of Tell Magazine and Mrs Julie Agu of Lagos Information, who discussed the issue under the State of the Nation, at the congress, expressed sadness on how the sacked journalists would be able to cope with the recession.

    Mrs Iyabo Ogunjuigbe of Radio Lagos/Eko FM, however, advised female journalists to seek alternative sources of income to stem the disappointment of job losses.

    “If you do not leave your organisation, the organisation would leave you. This is a wake-up call for us to learn additional skills and do something on the sidelines, to earn additional income,’’ Ogunjuigbe added.

    The Board of Continental Broadcasting Services Ltd (CBS), managers of Television Continental (TVC), and Radio Continental in Lagos, on Friday laid off 145 staff.

    A statement issued by the management of the media outfit said the decision was part of its effort to restructure its enterprises.

    The media outfits are reportedly owned by Chief Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State.

  • World Press Freedom Day: Nigerian authorities harassing, arresting journalists indiscriminately – AI

    World Press Freedom Day: Nigerian authorities harassing, arresting journalists indiscriminately – AI

    Amnesty International, AI has accused the Federal Government of stifling freedom of expression in the country by harassing and arresting media practitioners for doing their job.

    The group, in a statement released to mark the World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, said the Federal Government has stepped up its attempt to crush press freedom.

    The group said, “An escalating spate of arrests of journalists and intimidation of bloggers as well as the violent crushing of peaceful protests across Nigeria shows the authorities’ determination to suppress the right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today on World Press Freedom Day.”

    It therefore urged the federal and state governments to respect international human rights law and the Nigerian constitution by protecting the right to freedom of expression and press freedom.

    “Escalating arrests of journalists and violent disruption of peaceful protests since the start of 2017 shows staggering decline of freedom of expression and assembly that is pushing Nigeria further down the World Press Freedom Index,” said Osai Ojigho, Country Director at Amnesty International Nigeria.

    “The security forces have also consistently used excessive force and intimidation to crack down on Nigerians exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”

    AI cited incidences of harassment and intimidation of journalists in the country, noting that about eight journalists have “been either arrested or intimidated by the authorities”.

    It alleged that state governors had also used their control over state security agencies to arrest and subject journalists to all kinds of harassment and intimidation, including charging them on frivolous grounds with the aim of silencing them.

    It said, “So far at least three journalists were arrested in this manner in Kaduna state. On April 20, Midat Joseph, a journalist working with Leadership newspaper was arrested and charged with incitement by the Kaduna State government for an alleged private conversation that took place over a year ago on a WhatsApp group about plan for a protest.

    “On 16 April, news broke of the murder of Famous Giobaro a journalist with Bayelsa Radio Corporation’s Glory FM in Yenagoa. While it is now suspected that the unknown gunmen were armed robbers, the authorities still have an obligation to promptly and thoroughly investigate the case and bring whoever may be responsible to justice. Only last week, Nigerian Union of Journalists added its voice to the calls to bring suspected killers of journalists to justice.

    “Since the Cyber Crimes Act was signed into law in 2015, it has been used as a pretext to arbitrarily arrest bloggers and therefore censor Nigerian cyberspace. For example, in August last year, prominent blogger Abubakar Usman was arrested by the anti-graft agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who claimed he was detained for activities that contravened the Cyber Crimes Act. However they could not point out the exact provision of the act the blogger contravened and the charges were later dropped.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Freedom of Information Act was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan on 28 May 2011.