Under Obasanjo, Yar’adua, Jonathan, Buhari, 19 Journalists Killed without Conclusive Investigation, Prosecution, Says Rights Group

•Reveals 47 attacks against journalists recorded last one year

•Projects escalating attacks on journalists, media houses during 2023 general elections

Peter Uzoho

No less than 19 Nigerian journalists were brutally killed between May 29, 1999 till date, without conclusive investigation on their deaths and prosecution of the perpetrators, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has revealed.

THISDAY’s checks showed that the killings happened under the administration of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, late Musa Yar’adua, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the current President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been in charge since May 29, 2015.

The group also revealed that no less than 47 incidents of attacks against journalists, media workers and media houses had been perpetrated in the last one year, and forecasted escalating attacks on journalists and media houses as the 2023 general elections draw near.

Speaking during a press conference in Lagos, yesterday, in commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the Programme Director, Media Rights Agenda, Mr. Ayode Longe, said the Nigerian state has failed in its statutory duty of ensuring protection and safety for journalists discharging their legitimate functions of keeping the citizens informed and holding government accountable.

“Unfortunately, since the beginning of this democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999 till date, MRA has collared and documented a total of 19 journalists killed and in none of these killings has the federal government investigated, arrested, prosecuted or brought any of the perpetrators to justice.

He said the press conference was being held to draw attention to the fact that 10 years after the United Nations came out with the Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, Nigeria had not taken any concrete action to stem the spate of attacks against journalists and the media in the country.

“We all know that the federal government has never made any serious effort to investigate attacks against journalists or to prosecute the perpetrators of such attacks.

“Despite the dozens, even hundreds of attacks against journalists that have been reported and documented by organisations like Media Rights Agenda and others over the years, we are yet to hear of any instance where a journalist has been killed in Nigeria and a serious investigation was conducted and the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.

“This is a serious cause for concern for us because either wittingly or unwittingly, the impression is being given that it is okay to harm journalists in Nigeria and that whoever does so will get away with it because there will be no serious investigation into their actions and nothing will be done to them,” Longe said.

Noting that the group collated and documented no less than 47 incidents of attacks against journalists, media workers and media houses in the last one year, the programme director pointed out that MRA’s records showed that the men and officers of the Nigerian Police were the major perpetrators of these attacks.

He said MRA had documented over 15 incidents in which officers of the Nigerian Police were the perpetrators, with thugs and unknown gunmen following closely the Police in the number of attacks against journalists and media houses.

He also berated the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), saying data collated by MRA during the period under review showed clearly that the commission had become a major impediment to broadcasting freedom and the development of broadcasting in Nigeria.

However, as the 2023 general elections draw near, Longe said the group foresaw attacks on journalists and media houses escalating, adding, “so we need to cry out early to draw attention to this forthcoming escalating of attacks and call on the Nigerian goverment to take proactive action so that our fear will not come pass,”