The Nigeria Union of Journalists on Monday in Abuja stated that Africa ranked as the third deadliest region in the world for journalists in 2013 behind Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Arab world.
The union said the 22 journalists that were killed in the continent in 2013 were among the 108 killed worldwide and which exclude those imprisoned, exiled accidental deaths, missing or even abducted.
The President of the NUJ, Mr. Mohammed Garba, made the lamentation during the inauguration of a 12-man national monitoring committee on the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
The inauguration was jointly done by the NUJ and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of activities marking the United Nations first international day to end impunity and other crimes against journalists worldwide.
It was also chosen to commemorate the November 2 2013 assassination of two French journalists in Mali, Gislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon.
Garba said, “Those attacks constitute an indictment on the poor record on democracy and rule of law in some African countries. The lack of transparency, corruption and politics of exclusion often results in frustrations and violent rivalries creating bad conditions where independent journalists became easy targets for powerful forces intent on suppressing dissent and evading public accountability.
“The massive loss of lives and the tragedies for families and colleagues of the victims are a constant reminder of the failure of governments to uphold international obligations to protect the lives and liberties of their citizens including journalists.”
The Director of UNESCO Regional office in Abuja, Prof. Hassana Alidou, represented by the organization’s Senior Education Specialist, Dr. Saidou Sireh Jallow, said the day was declared by the UN General Assembly during its 68th Session in December 2013, regretting that it was only one in every 10 cases committed against media workers over the past decade that has led to conviction.
The committee has a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Mr. Bayo Atoyebi as its first Chairman.
Others members are the Police Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Alternate chairman); Assistant National Secretary 1 of NUJ, Gbemiga Bamidele (Secretary); and representatives of the Nigeria Guild of Editors; National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union and National Association of Women Journalists.
They are Hajiya Maimunah Jimada, Lanre Mohammed, Malam Sani Adam, Hope Ejikeme, Malam Abass M. Hassan, Bilquis Oladimeji, Henry Odugala, Akindele Orimolade and Gbenga Onayiga.
The union said the 22 journalists that were killed in the continent in 2013 were among the 108 killed worldwide and which exclude those imprisoned, exiled accidental deaths, missing or even abducted.
The President of the NUJ, Mr. Mohammed Garba, made the lamentation during the inauguration of a 12-man national monitoring committee on the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
The inauguration was jointly done by the NUJ and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of activities marking the United Nations first international day to end impunity and other crimes against journalists worldwide.
It was also chosen to commemorate the November 2 2013 assassination of two French journalists in Mali, Gislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon.
Garba said, “Those attacks constitute an indictment on the poor record on democracy and rule of law in some African countries. The lack of transparency, corruption and politics of exclusion often results in frustrations and violent rivalries creating bad conditions where independent journalists became easy targets for powerful forces intent on suppressing dissent and evading public accountability.
“The massive loss of lives and the tragedies for families and colleagues of the victims are a constant reminder of the failure of governments to uphold international obligations to protect the lives and liberties of their citizens including journalists.”
The Director of UNESCO Regional office in Abuja, Prof. Hassana Alidou, represented by the organization’s Senior Education Specialist, Dr. Saidou Sireh Jallow, said the day was declared by the UN General Assembly during its 68th Session in December 2013, regretting that it was only one in every 10 cases committed against media workers over the past decade that has led to conviction.
The committee has a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Mr. Bayo Atoyebi as its first Chairman.
Others members are the Police Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Alternate chairman); Assistant National Secretary 1 of NUJ, Gbemiga Bamidele (Secretary); and representatives of the Nigeria Guild of Editors; National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union and National Association of Women Journalists.
They are Hajiya Maimunah Jimada, Lanre Mohammed, Malam Sani Adam, Hope Ejikeme, Malam Abass M. Hassan, Bilquis Oladimeji, Henry Odugala, Akindele Orimolade and Gbenga Onayiga.
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