A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to investigate, prosecute and punish killers of founder of Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, and other journalists in the country.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Friday also directed the government to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioner.
The applicant, the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, had sued the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) as sole respondent in the suit dated and filed October 26, 2021.
The group sought a declaration that the killings of journalists and media practitioners in Nigeria is a violation of their fundamental right to life.
Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb in his home at Ikeja, Lagos, while in his study on Sunday 19 October 1986.
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Aside Giwa, other journalists listed by the group who were killed in the course of their duty to include Bolade Fasisi, Edward Olalekan, Omololu Falobi, Godwin Agbroko of Thisday, Abayomi Ogundeji and Edo Sule-Ugbagwu.
Justice Ekwo, held that since the group’s arguments were not controverted, such arguments would be deemed to be true.
He said he has studied the response of the respondent to the averments of the applicant and find the said averments to be generic nature and they do not controvert the case of the applicant specifically.
Justice Ekwo said it is pertinent to note that the respondent has neither denied that these killings have taken placed or that these persons were not journalists or media practitioners.
“The position of the law is that affidavit evidence which is not challenged or controverted howsoever, is deemed admitted and can be relied upon by a court.”
He said the media is a constitutional profession, hence,the journalists and media practitioners ought to be protected in the course of their duties.
Also, he noted that he found in the end that the applicant had established its case by credible evidence and ought to be entitled to the reliefs sought.
