As the world marked Press Freedom Day , journalists and civil society groups want the Federal government to review the Cybercrime Act and repeal laws that criminalise the journalism profession.
TVC’s Senior Correspondent, Sarah Ayeku was at an event to commemorate the Day in Lagos, where key players called on the government to prioritise the safety of journalists and support innovative and sustainable business outlets within the digital space.
One of the most recent cases of brutality against journalists in Nigeria is the detention of the FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji who narrated his ordeal.
“At a point, one of the officers came and tightened the cuffs on my right hand and leg.
“I was there groaning in pain, and it was that way for three days. When they released it all, the right side of my body felt numb. As I’m talking to you, I can still feel the numbness in my right hand and leg”
This was how Mr Segun Olatunji partly described what he went through in March following his release after he spent 14 days in military detention.
His case is one of few reported cases of assault experienced by journalists in Nigeria and it was a major discourse at the interactive session on the state of press freedom in Nigeria.
The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has listed Nigeria among the most challenging countries for journalists in West Africa.
In its latest ranking, Nigeria ranked 112th position out of 180 countries, an improvement from the 123rd rank in 2023.
Most media professionals believe, to strengthen the democratic processes in Nigeria, with their advocacies, civil society organisations, professional bodies and government need to prioritise the interest of journalists by formulating laws and policies that do not criminalise the profession.
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