On Wednesday, August 16, 2023, six journalists representing different media outlets who were covering a violent conflict that erupted in the Opu Nembe community, were brutally attacked by hoodlums armed with various weapons, who illegally confiscated their television cameras and other equipment.
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In the motion filed on its behalf by Babatunde Ogala (SAN), the Commission is asking the court to set aside the judgement, claiming that the court lacked jurisdiction to render the verdict and that it arrived at the decision in ignorance of relevant facts.
While some lawyers and stakeholders hailed the decision of the court, others have argued that the judgment “is ill conceived, dead on arrival and cannot be enforced because of legal encumbrances”.
NBC’s Director General, Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, had announced at a media briefing in Abuja on February 9, 2023, that the President had approved the independence of the Commission from any political interference in the exercise of its regulatory functions, particularly with respect to the issuance and withdrawal of broadcasting licences.
The condemnation is contained in a press statement signed by the organization’s Programme Officer, John Gbadamosi,
In a statement issued in Lagos, MRA’s Programme Officer, John Gbadamosi, explained that the hotline was necessitated by the increasing level of attacks against media practitioners and organizations, particularly during the last several months leading up to the elections.
The media body made the demand of the National Assembly in a statement it issued in the early hours of Monday.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its Director of Programmes, Ayode Longe, MRA called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to put an end to the incessant practice whereby politicians, government officials and other powerful individuals use the Police to shield themselves from scrutiny or criticism and to harass or intimidate journalists and media organizations reporting on their activities.
MRA described the draft Code of Practice developed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and published for public comments as a clumsy attempt to usurp the powers, functions and authority of the National Assembly as well as a breach of the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
Dabiri-Erewa spoke at the maiden edition of the National Freedom of Information Awards in Abuja over the weekend.
Jonathan said this shortly after being honoured with a Special Recognition Award at the 10th anniversary of the Freedom of Information Acts awards night on Friday in Abuja.
The call was contained in a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
It described the development as “an abuse of power and an affront to media freedom.”
In a statement to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the signing of the FoI Bill into Law by former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 28, 2011, MRA said a study it conducted on the implementation of the Act over the last 10 years showed that it had yielded a treasure trove of information for scores of citizens, civil society organizations, journalists and media organizations, as well as other groups within the society who, as a result, now know more about various actions and policies of governments at federal and state levels.
The organisation stressed that no democratic government should condone such lawlessness by its law enforcement officials.
It thus called on the Government and security agencies to take immediate action to locate and rescue the latest victim, Chidiebere Onye, a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority, who was kidnapped on February 9 in Rivers State.
The organisation called on the Police to thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading to the brutal assault on the journalist, citing evidence that his newspaper had published critical reports on the Uzodinma Administration in the State before then.
The MRA announced this on Monday in a statement.
The websites, www.feministcoalition2020.com, www.endsars.com, and www.radioisiaq.com, became inaccessible from Nigeria over the past few days but have remained accessible from other countries, a clear indication that they are being blocked only in Nigeria.
The organisation is asking the court to set aside the fines of N3 million each imposed by the NBC on three television stations on October 23 as unlawfully imposed and therefore null and void.