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Chukwudi Nweje
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned the attacks on media houses and journalists during the #EndSARS protests.
It commended journalists for contributing immensely to the democracy being enjoyed in the country even in the face of threats from some states.
The union stated this in a communiqué by Mustapha Isah and Mary Atolagbe, president and general secretary respectively at the end of its meeting in Port Harcourt.
The NGE tasked governments to ensure the media operates in a secure environment even as it charged Nigerians not to engage in acts inimical to media effectiveness in informing, educating and entertaining the public.
“The attack on the media and journalists during the crisis, whereby scores of vehicles were burnt at premises of several of them, namely Television Continental (TVC) Lagos, The Nation Newspapers in Lagos, The Chronicles in Calabar and in Lokoja where a correspondent of The Sun Newspapers was shot is condemnable. Amidst the threat to its operations, some television stations had to go off air temporarily for fear of invasion by hoodlums. Given that the media is also just coming out of a distressed status caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, these unjustified attacks by hoodlums will in no small way affect the financial status of many media establishments negatively,” the NGE said.
The union urged the Federal Government to take a second look at sanctions applied to some media organisations over coverage of the EndSARS protests. It also called for an immediate review of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act, in view of current realities in the media world.
The body of editors noted that the five-point demands of the #EndSARS protesters were genuine and patriotic, and commended the Federal Government for acknowledging them even as it asked for a genuine commitment to “implementing policies aimed at alleviating the suffering of not only youths but Nigerians in general.”
“The guild believes the government has a mandate to ensure that the media does not operate in an insecure environment. Also, Nigerians must not be seen to be engaging in acts inimical to media effectiveness in informing, educating and entertaining the public. Enough of attacks on media houses and professionals. That in as much as the guild respects the disciplinary mandate of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over broadcasting stations’ operations, it also implores the government to always take a second look at perceived infractions by some stations before applying sanctions. Fines should be the last resort.
“The guild therefore, calls for an immediate review of the NBC Act, in view of current realities in the media world. We know the government is already working on this but, this action must be expedited in the interest of professionalism, fairness and justice.
“Now that many state governments have set up panels to investigate what went amiss during the crisis, this is indeed the time for these panels to look into real grievances of the people, especially acts of human rights violation during the crisis. The guild demands absolute transparency and accountability in the outcomes of the ongoing panels and would detest a cover up of those found culpable in human rights violations against Nigerians, as recorded with previous panels.”
The guild also urged the President to sign the new electoral law as Nigerians prepare for the 2023 general election.
“The guild appeals to youths to suspend any further public protest because their point had been made. We believe the police are overstretched in the face of security challenges in the country, as manifested in the lynching of policemen by mobs, sometimes in very gruesome circumstances. The unfortunate event of these past few weeks should propel the government to expedite action on police reforms, as promised by the President and, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he should immediately restore public order.”
