The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists is celebrated on November 2 every year. This year, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, or NGE, has urged the government to create a safe and enabling environment for journalists to do their work effectively.
NGE’s President Mustapha Isah released a statement on Monday. Together with the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uuwgiaren, the professional group also pushed the security agencies to immediately conduct a comprehensive search to locate a missing journalist, Mr Tordue Salem.
Mr Salem, a journalist with Vanguard Newspapers who covers the House of Representatives, has been declared missing in the past few weeks.
“If journalists are to discharge their constitutional and social responsibilities earnestly and robustly, politicians, government officials, and security agents must treat them respectfully. They must ensure regular flow of information and frank dispassionate approach in dealing with journalists,” Isah stated.
NGE also listed several attacks toward the journalist in the past, such as on October 11, 2020, on two separate occasions, Gimba Kakanda of the Daily Trust newspaper, Francis Ogbonna and Ferdinand Duruoha of Arise Television were attacked by the police officers while covering a story.
“We also have on record how some unknown gunmen — on October 12, 2020, attacked Television Continental presenter, Theophilus Elamah, in the chest and forced him and the cameraman he was working with, Julius Idowu, to leave the protest area.”
