The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) yesterday called on the federal government and security agencies to reopen all pending cases of attacks and killings of journalists and media workers in the country.
The Guild in a statement issued by its President, Funke Egbemode, and Secretary, Victoria Ibanga, to mark the 2018 World Press Freedom Day, said all the pending cases should also be resolved to bring perpetrators to book in order to serve as deterrent to others. It also called on the government to treat journalists as partners in progress for the development of Nigeria.
The NGE said: “We call on the government and security agencies to reopen and urgently resolve all pending cases of attacks and killings of Journalists and Media workers in the country and bring perpetrators to book, to serve as deterrent to others.
“While we condole with the families of our colleagues who paid the supreme price in the course of serving humanity, we celebrate all our colleagues who have continually defi ed the odds to shine the light into the darkest places, hold government accountable to the people and tell compelling stories about our communities and nation. We salute your courage.
“It is also important to mention that impunity and all forms of oppressions and molestation must stop. More importantly, governments must begin to treat the Media as an ally in development and nation building.”
It noted that the history of Nigeria could not be written without a mention of the role the media played in the struggle for independence, enthronement of democracy and promotion and propagation of social justice and human rights, and having acquitted itself thus, its operators and indeed journalists, do not deserve to be treated with anything less than respect and decorum in the course of performing their constitutional responsibility.
According to the statement, the governments and the political class should recognise the role of the media in sustainable development, especially during the forthcoming elections – as a watchdog fostering transparency, accountability and the rule of law, we reiterate the fact that it is the responsibilities of governments and relevant institutions to protect journalists from physical harm and intimidation. It lamented the challenges in the Media industry in Nigeria, which have affected payment of monthly emoluments of media workers, thus creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and in effect, reducing the general morale of journalists in the country
