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AFRICMIL Urges Police to End Attacks on Journalists Amid #EndBadGovernance Protests
The African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has expressed grave concern over the recent assaults on journalists reporting on the #EndBadGovernance protests taking place in various regions of the country.
The organization has urged Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, along with other security agencies, to uphold their duty of maintaining law and order while respecting citizens’ rights.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent address aimed at addressing the situation, the protests, which began on August 1, 2024, persist in several states across the nation.
In a statement released on Monday, AFRICMIL’s coordinator, Dr. Chido Onumah, condemned the violence perpetrated by police officers against journalists and other citizens. The group emphasized that such actions violate the constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression.
The statement underscored that the Nigerian Constitution (1999), specifically Chapter 4, Section 39 (1), guarantees every individual’s right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to hold opinions, receive information, and disseminate ideas without undue interference.
Attacking journalists who are merely performing their professional duties, and brutalizing citizens for exercising their right to protest, constitutes a severe breach of this constitutional guarantee.
AFRICMIL highlighted that the #EndBadGovernance protests did not arise spontaneously. They are a direct response to the severe economic hardship inflicted upon Nigerians due to poorly executed policies, extravagant government spending, and mismanagement of the economy.
The protests are a reaction to the government’s abrupt and poorly planned removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, which have led to significant increases in the cost of goods and services.
This economic strain has been compounded by what the group describes as the government’s insensitive spending on non-essential items, such as a new residence for the Vice President and luxury vehicles for lawmakers.
Given the severe impact of these policies and the lack of measures to mitigate their adverse effects, it is understandable why citizens have taken to the streets to express their grievances through the #EndBadGovernance protests.
AFRICMIL asserts that the police have no justification for attacking journalists covering these events or for using violence against peaceful protesters.
The organization has reiterated its call for the Inspector General of Police to address the misconduct of his officers and to immediately cease all forms of harassment against journalists performing their roles.
AFRICMIL stresses that protecting the rights of journalists and protesters is crucial for upholding democratic principles and ensuring that citizens can voice their concerns without fear of retribution.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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