The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has said that the inalienable right to access and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack in Nigeria and called for the protection of the media.
The NGE said in a statement on Tuesday to mark the World Press Freedom Day, the editors warned that democracy is in danger when free press is threatened.
According to the statement signed by the President of the NGE, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the editors noted that while the threat to media freedom in Nigeria is real, the impact on the state of democracy in the country will be very dangerous, if not checked.
‘’Today (Tuesday) is a day globally, to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among journalists and other media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
‘’We need to remind governments at all levels in Nigeria that a free and independent media that can keep the people informed and hold leaders accountable, is essential for a strong and sustainable democracy, including free and fair elections. Without it, Nigerians cannot make informed decisions about how they are governed; and address human rights abuses, corruption and abuse of power,’’ the statement said.
The NGE said that its members were concerned that the elected leaders in Nigeria, who should be press freedom’s dependable protectors, had made several overt attempts to silence the media voices through proposing legislations that clearly seek to criminalise journalism practice in the country.
According to the editors, apart from the regular attacks on journalists who are carrying out their legitimate editorial assignments by overzealous security agents, the current attempts to criminalise journalism practice in the country through obnoxious proposed laws, the suffocating economic environment and harsh political/economic policies of the Nigerian government, have in the past few years, made it almost impossible for the media sector to carry out its constitutional responsibility for the benefit of the citizens.
“There is urgent need to protect the media; because the impact of the suffocating economic and political environment being created by the government will be very dangerous to our democracy. A threat to the media is a threat to our democracy.
‘’Governments at all levels must take the lead in making sure that their actions do not inspire violations of press freedom. A democratic society like Nigeria should know that it has a crucial role to play in maintaining media freedom and facilitating access to public information.
‘’Government should regularly take strong and immediate action against any violations of media freedom – this should include speaking out against violence against journalists and authorities’ failure/refusal to identify and prosecute attackers,’’ the editors said.
They called on the Nigerian government to make newsprints, broadcast equipment and all other consumables in the media sector tax free in order to save the media from total collapse.
‘’The media is a strong pillar of democracy; it is the oxygen of the democratic space; and there is urgent need by the federal government to make intervention to save it from collapsing,’’ the editors added.
Meanwhile, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on governments at all levels in Nigeria to take urgent measures to create a safe and conducive environment for journalism practice in Nigeria, both online and offline, noting that the rising spate of uninvestigated attacks against journalists in recent years undermines the government’s obligation to protect media practitioners.
In a statement to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the MRA urged the Nigerian government to make a commitment to protect journalists and other media workers from various forms of attacks, including online, saying such a move would signal its appreciation of the importance of the theme of this year’s WPFD, which is “Journalism Under Digital Siege”.
The MRA said in the statement signed by its Communication’s Officer, Idowu Adewale, that “recent advancements in surveillance technologies all over the world and Nigeria’s acquisition of such technologies in recent years is having a significant negative impact media freedom and freedom of expression more broadly, the safety of journalists, access to information and the right to privacy, thereby putting all of these rights at risk. It is also putting journalists under siege.”
Adewale argued: “human safety and security as well as respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms should underpin any national cybersecurity effort. There can be no justification for the indiscriminate interception, monitoring or surveillance of people’s private communication, which leaves innocent citizens fearful for their safety and of their government.”
According to him, where the Government or its security agencies plan to engage in targeted communication surveillance, such action may only be carried out within the framework of a law that conforms with international human rights law and standards, upon a specific and reasonable suspicion that a serious crime has been or is being carried out and after the prior authorisation of an independent judicial authority has been obtained.
Adewale called on the government to put an end to practice by security agencies and regulatory bodies of interfering in different ways with the rights of individuals to seek, receive and impart information or to communicate with others through any means of communication and digital technologies, such as by blocking or otherwise intentionally disrupting access, saying actions constitute a violation of international human rights law and standards.
GIK/APA