At an event in Abuja on Tuesday, the head of the IPC said that 250 journalists were attacked during the 2019 elections. He also said that journalists are victims of violence during elections.
The International Press Center (IPC) is arguing for journalists covering the 2023 elections to wear bulletproof vests.
According to IPC Executive Director Lanre Arogundade, who said this during the presentation of the findings from the group’s examination of media trends around the elections of 2023, this is the case.
At an event in Abuja on Tuesday, the head of the IPC said that 250 journalists were attacked during the 2019 elections. He also said that journalists are victims of violence during elections.
“I’m not sure whether that would be against the Police Act, and I’m not sure if it’s even permitted.” “But as you can see, we need to talk to them about this,” he remarked.
“Why not bulletproof, especially for cameramen?” After receiving accreditation, we will be pleased if the police can provide us with bulletproof clothing. However, we also want you to understand that your own life counts on election day.
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In order to do our jobs as journalists, we must be morally and professionally upright. We also need a supportive environment. And that’s why I stressed the necessity of political parties and the administration working together to guarantee our protection, because safety is important.
“Although no journalists were killed on election day in 2019, on that day, 250 journalists, including those who were accredited, were assaulted nationwide, oftentimes by overzealous law enforcement officials.”
So, we’re taking this chance to remind INEC of its own responsibilities, as well as those of governments, security agencies, and their own political parties, if they want us to be able to cover these elections well.
As he pleaded with security forces to protect media workers so there wouldn’t be a recurrence of the 2019 event, he urged for protection to be attached to journalists throughout the coverage of this year’s exercise.
