A coalition of journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) has emphasised that journalism is not just a profession but also a cornerstone of a democratic society.
They reiterated the essential role of journalism in promoting good governance and accountability during a peaceful march to the Ministry of Justice in Abuja. The coalition condemned the increasing threats to media freedom across the country and highlighted the need to protect journalists from arrests, brutality and harassment.
The group emphasised the crucial partnership between journalists and the government in informing the public and providing feedback essential for the development and deepening of democracy. They expressed concern that the Cybercrimes Act, originally intended to combat online criminal activity, is being misused to silence dissent and criminalise the work of journalists.
Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Jide Oyekunle echoed these sentiments and condemned the growing hostility towards media practitioners. He emphasised that journalism is not a crime but rather essential for the positive development of a democratic society and called for the government to protect the rights of journalists.
A legal practitioner and digital rights activist, Mojirayo Ogunlana pointed out multiple cases of harassment of journalists during the current administration, expressing concern over the misuse of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act. She emphasised that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and called for the government to focus on tracking criminals rather than suppressing journalists’ opinions.
The advocacy lead at Gatefield, Ms. Shirley Ewang stressed the need for heightened awareness and action to address the unlawful arrests of journalists and civil society members. She emphasised that journalists should not face challenges such as censorship, intimidation and violence.
The CSOs – including Gatefield, SERAP, CJID, Dataphyte Foundation, Femme Mag, DigiCivic Initiative, Invictus Africa, Marie Claire and LightRay Media – carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Journalism is Not a Crime’ and ‘Protect Our Free Speech’ to express deep concerns over the misuse of the Cybercrimes Act. The group also launched the ‘Don’t Police My Speech’ initiative while vowing to continue fighting for the protection of journalists and the fundamental right to free expression.
