News
250 Journalists Attacked During 2019 Polls, IPC Confirms
With less than eight weeks to the 2023 general election, the International Press Centre (IPC), yesterday, disclosed that about 250 journalists were attacked during coverage of the 2019 general election.
This was made this known by the Executive Director, IPC, Lanre Arogundade, while fielding questions on the sidelines of a presentation of the outcomes of the IPC’s analysis of trends in reportage of the 2023 election issues by 15 print and online newspapers for the period – October and November 2022.
Arogundade urged security agencies to ensure such attacks on the media do not happen before, during and after the 2023 general election, and lamented how journalists were now endangered species in the polity.
He also said the media should be included with those INEC and security agencies would provide security for during the election, and urged security agencies not to attack journalists while carrying out their constitutional duties and allow them to move around freely as far as they have their election coverage permit.
He added that “there is also nothing wrong in providing journalists with bullet-resistant vests.”
According to him, media monitoring forms part of IPC’s activities under a European Union-funded project, ‘Strengthening the media for fair, accurate, ethical, and inclusive coverage of the electoral processes and elections in Nigeria’.
The newspapers monitored were: “The Guardian, The Punch, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership, Daily Trust, and Daily Independent. The five online media were: The Cable, the Premium Times, Eagle Online, RealNews and the Authority”.
He said: “One thing is that as journalists, we must be ethical, professional; and another thing is for a conducive environment to be provided for us. And that’s why I talked about the need for political parties and government to come together and ensure that we are protected as safety matters.
“Though, no journalist was killed on Election Day in 2019 but 250 were molested across the country, including some of them who were accredited, particularly by overzealous law enforcement agencies.
“Among the 250 were those who were also attacked while covering campaign activities. You will recall that when a governorship campaign was being launched in Lagos by one of the political parties, and there was violence involving some party thugs, three of our colleagues in Lagos were shot, while some of them were hit by stray bullets.
“So, we are using this occasion to draw the attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), governments, security agencies and the political parties to their own responsibilities, if they want us to cover these elections effectively.
“For example, it will be wrong for any political party or candidate to deny any one of us access to their public events because the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage says they should give us free access, and where some believe that we’re not doing what is right, they can make use of the regulatory mechanisms to lodge their complaints, but not go after individual journalists who are on the field.
“As we move towards the 2023 general election, we’re also going to be monitoring the situation of journalists. And we’re also calling on journalists to report any threats or attacks.
“So, beyond elections, it is worrisome that not less than nine journalists have been killed, and there have been no investigation,talk less of prosecution of the killers as we speak. And, of course, we knew that of the Vanguard reporter. So, it is a reality that journalists in Nigeria are facing a lot of threats.”
On providing journalists bullet-proof vests, he said, “I don’t know whether that would be a violation of the Police Act, and I don’t know if it is allowed but you see, we need to have this conversation with them. Bullet-proof, why not, especially for cameramen?
“If the police can give us bullet-proof once we are accredited, we will be happy about that. But beyond that, what we are saying is that on Election Day, know that your own life matters.
“As journalists, we have some rights which we don’t exercise. If you are being asked to go and cover the election in an area where there’s likely to be an outbreak of violence, it is your right to ask for protection.”
Also speaking,a Professor in the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, while presenting the report, scored media reporting of the 2023 electoral process satisfactory.
She, however, tasked the media on inclusivity reportage.
Ogwezzy-Ndisika also said media should focus on the activities of vulnerable groups in society and other political parties other than the ‘big four’.
“The report presents state of the art on media reportage of elections in Nigeria. It also helps us to have practical direction on what we should do as journalists so that we can deepen democracy, knowing that the media is a critical institution in elections.
“So, it is very important that we do a review of what we have done and the strength of our work, where the gaps are so that we can fill them in order to make an impact in the electoral process come February this year.
“So, I think that it’s kind of self-evaluation that we have done.”
According to her, inclusivity in media reportage was poor as most media organisations basically focused on a particular set of newsmakers, which most times, do not make the readers interested in that particular report.
“Not only that, it has become more urban-centric, so we should delve a little more into the sub-national level, and I think that will improve our work.
“We also found out that about three or four parties are having visibility in the media, so what happens to the other political parties?
“These are questions we should ask ourselves, hence the need to be deliberate. We also looked at the issue of framing.
“How we frame our reports and stories, you know, perhaps, the way we frame them based on the definition of who makes the news may also be accountable.
“So, we should have a rethink of the angle, perspective that we’re going to bring into our stories.
“From the report, we found that we gave little voice to women, people with disabilities, youth and people in hard-to-reach areas.
“We should make our stories multimedia so we can speak to the non-literate people in the rural areas. So, essentially, we need to be deliberate about inclusivity in our reportage”, she said.
A Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
-
Rivers2 days ago
NUJ Set To Attend UNIPORT’s 217th Inaugural Lecture
-
News2 days agoNJC Suspends Three Judges, Sanctions Eight Others
-
Politics2 days ago
Atiku Kicks-Off 2027 Campaign, Promises To Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges
-
Featured2 days agoAPC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow
-
News2 days ago
FG Explains Supply Disruption As Power Generation Drops To 3,659MW
-
Metro2 days ago
Port Harcourt Prepares For 10,000 Runners As International Marathon Returns
-
News2 days agoBille Gas Leak: Coalition Tasks FG On Proactive Measures
-
News2 days agoIGP Orders Arrest, Prosecution Of Campaign Billboard Vandals