IPC Condemns Gruesome Killing of Bayelsa Journalist, Calls for Urgent Investigation

Nigeria has condemned the brutal murder of Mr. Famous Giobaro, of the Bayelsa State-owned radio station, Glory FM 97.1, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his residence on April 16, 2017.

Giobaro, who worked as a Desk Editor in the station, was reportedly attacked in his house located in a mini estate at the INEC Road area in Yenagoa, the state capital, by unknown gunmen who broke into his apartment around 5a.m. and shot him many times in the stomach at close range and left without stealing anything.

It was gathered that the killers gained access to his house by climbing the fence through a ladder after cutting the barbwires.

Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement on Monday (April 17, 2017), said the killing of the journalist brings to fore serious concerns for the safety of journalists in Nigeria.

“We are calling on the Bayelsa State Government to show commitments and investigate the alleged assassination of Giobaro who is a staff of the state government. This is one incident that should not be allowed to lie low and we also call on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter with a sense of urgency,” Arogundade stated.

According to Arogundade, the killing has again reinforced IPC’s beliefs that journalists’ are under threat in Nigeria.
“We have had many unresolved issues with journalists in recent past and it will be a rape on democracy under this dispensation if a journalist can just be gunned down in such a manner,”Arogundade added while sympathising with family members of the journalist and the Bayelsa State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in particular.