Journalists Not Targeted For Witch-Hunt, FG Claims

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, yesterday, said that no Nigerian journalist was targeted for witch-hunt.
Disclosing this at a Policy Dialogue on Protection of Journalists in commemoration of 2021 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, in Abuja, organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) Programme, noted that “Nigeria operates a constitutional democracy that guarantees freedom of expression thereby providing conducive atmosphere and veritable platforms that enable Nigerians their inalienable fundamental rights to unhindered ventilation of opinions.”
Asking journalists to be more professional in discharging their duties, Malami opined: “The Federal Government has provided an enabling environment for journalism to thrive. I call on journalists to refrain from fake news, defamation, sedition, hate speech, blasphemy, incitement of inflammatory statements in their reportage that could jeopardize our cooperate existence as a nation and hamper the peace we have been enjoying.
“National interest built in on corporate existence needs to bind our patriotic engagement in advancing the interest of the nation.”
Speaking further, the minister said that Journalism was not a crime.
According to him: “I am convinced that journalism is not a crime. Rather, there are apparent crimes committed by some people that claim to practice journalism.
“Journalists are not in any way targeted for witch-hunt. It is essential to note that Nigeria operates a constitutional democracy that guarantees freedom of expression, thereby providing conducive atmosphere and veritable platforms that enable Nigerians their inalienable fundamental rights to unhindered ventilation of opinions.”