The police in Kano State attacked some journalists, and this was denounced by the International Press Center’s Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists, or I-CSPJ.
The journalists, who included Salim Umar Ibrahim of the Daily Trust and Hausa reporter Zahradeen Lawal for the British Broadcasting Corporation, were allegedly attacked while reporting a meeting of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
In a statement made public on Wednesday, IPC Executive Director Lanre Arogundade denounced the assault.
The statement read, “Unwarranted attacks on journalists while they are performing their legitimate duties is dangerous for our democracy and a major threat to press freedom and violates the fundamental human rights of the journalists.”
The IPC advised members of the Nigerian Police Force, or NPF, “to be mindful of actions they take against journalists and not continuously create an environment where journalists would be afraid to work and discharge their duties effectively and efficiently.”
In a similar vein, the Centre requested that the police commissioner in Kano State take prompt and appropriate action to identify and prosecute those responsible for the journalists’ assault.
The impacted journalists were also entitled to compensation, according to the IPC.
The statement went on to say that “we call on the NPF to train its officers to be more respectful and courteous in their interactions with journalists and other media professionals,” highlighting the fact that the protection of citizens, including journalists, is the police’s main duty.
