News

250 Journalists Attacked During 2019 Polls, IPC Confirms

Published

3 years ago

January 25, 2023

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.

News

Fubara Seeks Full Resolution Of Bille Gas Leakage …Pledges Upgrade Of Community Health Centre

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has demanded quick and full resolution to the challenges arising from the gas leakage that occurred in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the State.

The governor has also pledged to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille with a view to addressing the health challenges confronting the community.

Fubara made the pledge on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt during an enlarged meeting of key stakeholders, comprising representatives of the Federal Government, the state government and leaders of the community.

The meeting was held to review the situation in the community and explore available opportunities to save the people from the adverse impacts of environmental pollution.

Addressing the journalists at the end of the meeting, the governor acknowledged the determination of the Federal Government and its agencies to get to the root cause of the problem in Bille and ensure that it is resolved permanently.

“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. You’re aware that there is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation.

“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he said.

Fubara described the outcome of the meeting as successful, stressing that more action would be taken in the next couple of weeks to ensure that the issue is fully resolved.

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, who led the Federal Government’s delegation to the meeting, expressed appreciation to the governor for his warm hospitality and efforts to address the challenge in Bille community.

Ekpo explained that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, the Federal Government has not been silent over the “gas seepage” but has been working tirelessly towards finding a sustainable solution.

The minister explained that as soon as the incident was reported, the Federal Government deployed experts to the area to understudy the cause of the problem.

According to him, it was difficult at first to understand the cause of the problem since there were no oil or gas infrastructure within the vicinity of the incident, hence the need to conduct a more detailed investigation.

“The investigation is still going but we decided to do a follow-up visit to the area to talk to the people of Bille Community that we need collaboration on their part so that we would be able to arrive at a lasting solution.

“The safety of the people is paramount. We can understand their anxiety, the worry and the danger that this thing poses within the area, but the Federal Government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem. The primary responsibility of government is to take care of the welfare and security of the people and that is exactly why we are here to go and see things for ourselves,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, also explained that as the regulatory agency at the centre of the issue, no effort will be spared in the task of resolving the issue.

Eyesan pledged that the NUPRC and operators in the industry were prepared to address the requests of the impacted people in terms of the provision of potable water and fire trucks to the community.

The Public Relations Officer, Council of Chiefs, Bille Kingdom, Chief Rena Dappa, had during the meeting, presented the challenges facing the community and pleaded for government’s support to save the lives and livelihoods of the people.

News

Tinubu Unveils Training Programme For 5,000 Metre Installers

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has announced the launch of a training programme for 5,000 young Nigerians as meter installers and technicians under the Presidential Metering Initiative.

The President stated that the scheme is aimed at creating jobs, closing the country’s metering gap and improving electricity supply.

The President disclosed this in a statement on his verified X handle yesterday, describing the initiative, tagged “The Power Force,” as part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to expand employment opportunities for young people.

According to Tinubu, the programme will equip participants with practical technical skills and connect them to employment opportunities in Nigeria’s power sector.

“Through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), which I established to close Nigeria’s metering gap, end estimated billing, protect consumers and strengthen the electricity market, we are opening a new pathway for 5,000 young Nigerians to be trained as meter installers and technicians under The Power Force. This programme is about jobs, skills and dignity,” he said.

Tinubu said the training would be open to eligible Nigerians who have completed their secondary school education, with a dedicated quota reserved for members of the National Youth Service Corps.

He noted that expanding electricity metering was critical to improving service delivery and promoting transparency in the power sector.

“When homes and businesses are properly metered, Nigerians can pay for what they actually use. When electricity distribution companies collect revenues more transparently and fairly, they are better able to reduce losses, maintain infrastructure, expand connections and invest in better service.

“This is how we build a power sector that is fairer to consumers, stronger for investors and better able to deliver reliable electricity to the Nigerian people,” the President said.

Tinubu said he had directed the Presidential Metering Initiative to work with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and other relevant stakeholders to commence the programme within the next 30 days.

He encouraged qualified young Nigerians to apply, saying the initiative would provide them with marketable skills while supporting efforts to eliminate estimated billing and improve electricity access nationwide.

“I encourage eligible young Nigerians to apply. Join The Power Force. Learn a skill. Earn with dignity. Help us end estimated billing and be part of the work to light up Nigeria,” he added.

News

Xenophobia: Third Evacuation Flight From S’Africa Arrives Today -FG

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has announced that the third evacuation flight for Nigerians voluntarily returning from South Africa will arrive Lagos today having departed Johannesburg at midnight yesterday with 271 returnees on board.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Mr Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.

According to the ministry, the Air Peace-operated flight is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026.

It said the evacuation is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians from South Africa.

“The third evacuation flight operated by Air Peace will depart Johannesburg today by 12 midnight with 271 returnees. The estimated time of arrival in Lagos is 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026,” the statement read.

The latest batch of returnees follows earlier evacuation flights that brought hundreds of Nigerians back to the country under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme.