Every second of November is proclaimed as the International Day to
End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists as members of states are urged by
the United Nations General Assembly to implement definite measures in
countering the present culture of impunity. However, according to the
Global impunity Index report published by the Committee to Protect Journalists,
CPJ, there have been several cases of impunity on murders of journalists in
countries where ‘democracy’ is practiced.
It is
indeed painful when people capacitated by the power of the constitution in
carrying out their duties, are being killed on a regular basis around the
world; and their perpetrators are not prosecuted.
Equally, the report indicated
that during the 10 years Index period since September 2009 and ended on August
31 this year, around 318 journalists were murdered just for doing their jobs
worldwide and 86 percent of those cases, no perpetrators were successfully
prosecuted.
Well, In Nigerian
context, apart from being a professional career, journalism is a call to
national duty. This is for the fact that under section 22 of the 1999
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, media (journalists)- like
myself- are always obliged to uphold the responsibility and accountability of
the government to the people – freely. It is however appalling that, this
section is being ignorantly violated by the haves and powerful, gangster and to
certain extent, owners of the media. In this country, we have heard and seen
instances where accountable journalists were killed, and some are still
detained for carrying out their jobs as vanguards and watchmen of the society.
Frankly speaking, there is no doubt that these acts of negligence from
government and security agencies have contributed in crippling the ability and
efforts of journalists to carryout their jobs efficiently and
effectively.
Incidentally, it has rippled the rate of
crime, corruption and mismanagement by cartels, government officials,
multi-national companies among other stakeholders. Just recently, a young
journalist filled with passion and enthusiasm, Gidado Yushau Shuaib was
arrested alongside his webmaster in Abuja on Tuesday night, the 29 of October
for publishing an investigative report on the 18th of May 2018 which was
authored by Mr. Alfred Olufemi, an award-winning campus journalist from one of
the premier Universities in the country. The report is titled: Inside Kwara
factory where Indian Hemp smoking is ‘legalized’, and the factory, Hillcrest
Agro-Allied Industry based in Ilorin is said to be owned by Former acting CBN
Governor, Mrs. Sarah Alade. We only learnt in History and political science
classes that; it was during the brutal military regime that journalists faced a
series of human rights violation as a result of carrying out their jobs. Some
were killed, others imprisoned while some went for exile in other countries
finding refuge. Currently, the situation is somewhat like a replica of that
dictatorship particularly during the Abacha’s regime.
This is because a series of journalists including concerned citizens and
whistle blowers have been arrested and detained-some with, some without
charges. Journalists like Jones Abiri, George Uboh, Stephen Kefas, Abubakar
Idris (Dadiyata) whose whereabout is till yet unknown, and a host lot of others
that their story is unknown. Most recently, is also the case of Fisayo Soyombo,
an investigative journalist, who carried out a report to expose the ills of the
police, prison and judicial system in the country. His life and that’s of his
family is currently at stake due to threats.
The moment you are apprehended as a
journalist, you are charged with either treasonable felony, terrorism,
disturbance of public peace, defamation or even all these dubious allegations.
Well, I strongly believe that journalism is a noble profession, and can be used
to bring about positive change even with the ongoing challenges my senior
colleagues have and are still facing. It is high time these ‘powerful leaders’
know that, “it is only a coward that dies twice, and we are not!” We the
younger generation of journalists will not relent in unveiling the full force
of this profession.
In a nutshell, as we celebrate another year to
end impunity for crimes against journalists, our prayer is that, we hope the
future of this noble profession, ‘journalism’ and the younger generations of
journalists be spared of this same fate: for the struggle continues and victory
is certain!
* Isah Ismaila Gagarawa is a commentator on public issues
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