In commemoration of this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, members of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the International Press Centre (IPC), and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) have declared that journalists are not criminals and that their safety must be prioritised.

In a separate statement, MRA Head of Legal Department, Obioma Okonkwo, noted: “Far too often, crimes committed against journalists remain unresolved, and the perpetrators go unpunished. This impunity not only emboldens those who seek to harm or silence journalists and the media, it also undermines public confidence in the rule of law and democratic governance.”

Okonkwo called on the government to prioritise the protection of journalists through concrete measures and action, including strengthening legal protections by adopting and implementing laws that shield journalists from violence and harassment and by ensuring swift prosecution of those responsible for crimes against media professionals.

IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade stated: “We are calling for an end to impunity for crimes against journalists in Nigeria. We cannot turn a blind eye to attacks against journalists.

We attach the highest priority to the safety of journalists and other media actors.

We oppose any action, legislation, regulation or political pressure that limits freedom of the press. Acts of intimidation and violence against journalists in Nigeria have to end for democracy to survive. Attacks against media institutions and journalists are attacks against democratic rights, including the right of the public to know the truth about the way they are governed.”

BON Executive Secretary, Yemisi Bamgbose, said media practitioners should not be seen as enemies of the state when performing their constitutional roles of ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them.

“Impunity and crimes against media practitioners, such as unlawful arrests, invasion of media houses, brutality, harming, damaging of equipment, harassment and seizure of travelling documents, sponsored attacks, kidnapping and killings of media practitioners will continue to portray the country in a bad light in the comity of nations and government should, therefore, act fast to discourage impunity and crimes against journalists,” she said.