Media Group Demands Security for Journalists, Condemns Shooting at Rallies

 

A group of journalists, under the umbrella of Lagos Journalists League (LJL), has demanded equal security measures for members of the press as accorded to prominent chieftains of political parties at rallies.

They made the call in view of the recent shooting at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally yesterday where journalists were shot at.

The Secretary General of the group, Enitan Olukotun, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos, condemning the attack on journalists by hoodlums at the Lagos APC campaign rally where three members of the press covering the event were shot.

According to the statement, "The unfortunate incidence is yet a sad reminder of how journalists have become endangered in the course of duty.

"We are deeply worried that whilst media contributes immensely in deepening Nigeria’s fragile democracy through election coverage and reportage, the political class, which is the biggest beneficiaries of the process could not provide adequate security for our members on such dangerous assignments."

The statement noted that "perhaps, if Lagos APC had provided tight security measures accorded its political leaders for journalists at Sky Power Ground, the Group Political Editor of The Nation Newspaper, Emmanuel Oladesu; Temitope Ogunbanke of New Telegraph and Ibile Television cameraman, Abiodun Yusuf, would not have been victims of the deadly gang clash at the rally.

"Lagos Journalists League henceforth demands treatment and security measures accorded VIPs and top chieftains of the political parties at rallies to be extended to men and women of the Fourth Estate of the realm.

"We will not hesitate to advise our esteemed colleagues to shun rallies of any political parties which cannot provide the barest minimum security for journalists reporting their activities.”

The group called on Lagos APC “to with immediate effect provide adequate treatment for Oladesu, Ogunbanke and Yusuf who were attacked by daredevil hoodlums during the melee.

 "After all, the affected journalists are not lesser beings to Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, an APC chieftain, who was involved in a similar tragic incidence in Ekiti State."