Data minister speaks on harassment, detention of journalists, says points are being resolved

The Minister of Data, Mohammed Idris, says the federal authorities is working to “resolve” the problem of the detained journalist, Ojukwu.

Mr Idris said this on Saturday evening on the NUJ Press Freedom and Good Governance Awards in Abuja.

Mr Ojukwu, a journalist with the Basis for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was kidnapped by the police on 1 Might and has been in detention since then.

The kidnapping of the journalists, whose newspaper lately printed some tales on corruption involving the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and a few people, is producing appreciable backlash towards the federal government.

“I do know that we have now had some challenges, particularly within the final couple of weeks regarding one journalist who has had some issues with the safety companies. That drawback has been solved or is being solved. I’m being reminded by somebody right this moment that there’s one other one. We’re additionally working to resolve one,” Mr Idris mentioned.

The minister mentioned the federal government is dedicated to press freedom and promised to launch the detained journalist

He added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is set to make sure that the work of journalists “will proceed unhindered and interrupted”.

Assaults on journalists

Security of journalists has been a big concern in Nigeria with many situations of harassment, abduction and even deaths.

In March, Segun Olatunji, the editor of FirstNews newspaper, was kidnapped from his dwelling in Lagos, South-west Nigeria, on 15 March. Hours later he security blindfolded and flown ito Abuja on a army plane.

He was detained for 14 days by the federal government and solely launched following stress from the Worldwide Press Institute, the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

The Centre of Journalism Innovation and growth (CJID) lately launched a report that exhibits that 1,034 journalists have been attacked throughout Nigeria from 1986 to 2023.

Usually, the Nigerian authorities makes use of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act 2015 to arbitrarily arrest journalists.

Honouring courageous journalists

In the meantime, the NUJ, on the Saturday ceremony, gave awards to journalists who’ve suffered totally different types of assaults in the midst of obligation.

Mohammed Salisu, the founding father of WikkiTimes, was additionally celebrated for a few of his investigative studies within the final couple of years.

“Salisu’s dedication to exposing corruption has led to extreme repercussions, together with a number of authorized challenges and bodily threats,” NUJ said.

One other journalist with Every day Nigerian, Umar Audu, who uncovered the certificates racketeering syndicate in universities in Cotonou, Benin Republic, was awarded the Anyim Ude Prize for the most effective investigative reporter of the 12 months.

A few of the different journalists honoured on the ceremony embody; Adekola Bamgbala a photojournalist; Gabriel Idibia, the top of Dawn Newspaper; Edwin Philip of Breeze FM Lafia, Nasarawa State; Paulina Vana of NTA Borno and Tayo Ikujinni of Information Company of Nigeria.

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Talking on the challenges journalists face, the NUJ president, Chris Isiguzo, defined that the union determined to honour the journalists with the message that press freedom will not be a political privilege.

“Tonight, as we collect to honour the courageous women and men who’ve devoted their lives to the pursuit of reality, justice, and freedom, allow us to additionally reaffirm our dedication to press freedom and good governance. Allow us to recognise that press freedom will not be a privilege however a proper, not a luxurious however a necessity,” Mr Isiguzo mentioned.