A journalist was allegedly beaten by police officers in Bauchi State during the Eid Durbar celebration; the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has demanded that the officers be immediately prosecuted. A statement signed by Y.Z. Ya’u, the Executive Director of CITAD, on Monday contained this information.
Police in Bununu, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, allegedly assaulted Albarka Radio reporter Mohammed Adamu while he covered the event.
According to reports, Adamu was attacked even though he was trying to enter the designated media area and had identified himself as a journalist.
“Mr Adamu was assaulted by numerous officers, leading to head injuries and necessitating his medical treatment,” the statement disclosed.
According to CITAD, the event was an assault on the rights of Nigerian journalists and a severe infringement of press freedom.
Any effort to threaten or damage journalists weakens democratic government and the rule of law, the organization emphasised, because of the vital role journalists play in informing the public and holding authorities to account.
A disturbing pattern of harassment and violence against journalists by security agencies is shown in this instance, which is not isolated, according to the statement.
All cops involved in the assault must be promptly and openly investigated by CITAD, and they must be brought to justice. Fair remuneration and safety for journalists, as well as training and explicit instructions for security forces to safeguard journalists while they are on the job.
In addition, CITAD demanded that the Inspector-General of Police and other appropriate authorities put a stop to assaults on journalists.
It is imperative that Nigeria continues to be a safe haven for journalists, where they may do their jobs without fear of reprisal. In order to preserve democracy and the rights of every person, the organization emphasised the importance of protecting press freedom.