Less than 24 hours after the presidency ordered the overhaul of the special anti-robbery squad SARS, about the incessant complaint from the public on the violation of the human rights, the same outfit arrested a journalist and is forcefully trying to get him to reveal his ‘source’ of a news article to them.
The journalist, Samuel Ogundipe from PREMIUM times who covers the security sector was arrested over a story which other newspapers outfits also published as well about a letter written by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on last week’s siege at the National Assembly by security officials.
Following his detention various Civil Society Organizations like BudgIT, EIE, CODE and others have thrown in their support behind the call for the release of Samuel Ogundipe, stating that his detention is unlawful and screams oppression.
In a statement released today, the CSO’s emphasized that the arrest of the journalist “rubs off as a slap to our democracy and shunts the freedom of the media in nation building.”
“We are conflicted by the idea that the Police, designed to protect and abide by the law, intimidates the media at will over publications of stories that do not sit well with it,”
“Our organisation will like to remind the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement authorities that the Freedom of Information Act 2011 provides freedom to citizens, including journalists, in obtaining public information and use.”
The CSOs called on all civil society groups, media groups, international bodies and citizens to reject this brutal use of the police in violating human rights as this is detrimental to free speech and governance as a whole.
The CSO’s cited Human Rights, Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states that: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
The media plays a key role in building a free and fair society and thus serve as the voice of the people in modern day.
The request by the Nigeria Police Forces breaks that which holds together the fabric of professionalism in the media region.
This is line with the disclosure of sources to the law enforcement, the Code of Ethics published contained in the Nigerian Press Council Act No. 85 (1992), as amended in Act No. 60 (1999), Section 4 (i) & (ii) seek to ensure maintenance of high professional standard amongst journalists in maintaining confidentiality of sources for protection.
It is therefore undemocratic and inhumane that Samuel Ogundipe has been treated like a criminal in the line of duty.
BudgIT, EIE, CODE and other CSOs further affirms that the beauty of democracy is the freedom that it provides citizens, civil society groups and the media in the pursuit of accountability and truth.
The essential obligation of good governance is transparency, and the least form of transparency is the obtainability of public information. This is what the media owes the public and thus required to exercise rights in the fulfilment of this responsibility.
In ensuring that the civic space remains unrestrained, the media independence starting from the release of Samuel Ogundipe and avoidance of future occurrence must be held to the highest regards for the sake of our democracy that is yet to fully grow in favour of development.
Jonathan Aderoju
