In Nigeria, not less than 56 journalists attacked, harassed throughout #EndBadGovernance protests

“He hit me with a gun butt,” Premium Instances newspaper reporter Yakubu Mohammed advised the Committee to Defend Journalists, recalling how he was struck by a police officer whereas reporting on cost-of-living protests in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja on August 1. Two different officers beat him, seized his telephone, and threw him in a police van regardless of his sporting a ”Press” vest and displaying them his press identification card.

Mohammed is one in every of not less than 56 journalists who have been assaulted or harassed by safety forces or unidentified residents whereas overlaying the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in Nigeria, one in every of a number of international locations throughout sub-Saharan Africa which have skilled anti-government protests in latest months.

In Kenya, not less than a dozen journalists have been focused by safety personnel throughout weeks of youth-led protests since June, with not less than one reporter shot with rubber bullets and a number of other others hit with teargas canisters. In the meantime, Ugandan police and troopers used power to quash related demonstrations over corruption and excessive dwelling prices, whereas a Ghanaian court docket banned deliberate protests.

Globally, assaults on the press typically spike throughout moments of political stress. In Senegal, not less than 25 journalists have been attacked, detained, or tear gassed whereas reporting on February’s protests over delayed elections. Final 12 months, CPJ discovered that greater than 40 Nigerian journalists have been detained, attacked, or harassed whereas reporting on presidential and state elections. In 2020, not less than a dozen journalists have been attacked throughout the #EndSARS marketing campaign to abolish Nigeria’s brutal Particular Anti-Theft Squad (SARS) police unit.

CPJ’s documentation of the incidents beneath, based mostly on interviews with these affected, native media reviews, and verified movies and images, are emblematic of the hazards confronted by reporters in lots of African international locations throughout protests – and the failure of authorities to prioritize journalists’ security and ending impunity for crimes towards journalists.

All however one of many journalists – a reporter for government-owned Radio Nigeria – labored for privately owned media shops.

July 31

In western Lagos State, law enforcement officials harassed Bernard Akede, a reporter with Information Central TV, and his colleagues, digital reporter Eric Thomas and digicam operators Karina Adobaba-Harry and Samuel Chukwu, forcing them to pause reporting on the deliberate protests on the Lekki toll gate.

August 1

In Abuja, law enforcement officials arrested Jide Oyekunle, a photojournalist with the Each day Impartial newspaper, and Kayode Jaiyeola, a photojournalist with Punch newspaper, as they lined protests.

In northern Borno State, not less than 10 armed law enforcement officials forcefully entered the workplace of the regional broadcaster Radio Ndarason Internationale (RNI) and detained 9 members of workers for 5 hours. These held stated that police accused them of publishing “pretend information” within the arrest documentation and RNI’s undertaking director David Smith advised CPJ that the raid was in response to the outlet’s reporting through WhatsApp on the protests.

The detained workers have been: head of workplace Lami Manjimwa Zakka; editor-in-chief Mamman Mahmood; producer Ummi Fatima Baba Kyari; reporters Hadiza Dawud, Zainab Alhaji Ali, and Amina Falmata Mohammed; head of packages Bunu Tijjani; deputy head of packages Ali Musa; and data and communications know-how head Abubakar Gajibo.

In Abuja, law enforcement officials threw tear gasoline canisters at Mary Adeboye, a digicam operator with Information Central TV; Samuel Akpan, a senior reporter with TheCable information website; and Adefemola Akintade, a reporter with the Peoples Gazette information website. The canisters struck Adeboye and Akpan’s legs, inflicting swelling.

In northern Kano metropolis, unidentified attackers wielding machetes and sticks smashed the home windows of a Channels Tv-branded bus carrying 11 journalists and a automotive carrying two journalists.

The journalists have been: reporters Ibrahim Ayyuba Isah of TVC Information broadcaster, whose hand was lower by glass; Ayo Adenaiye of Come up Information broadcaster, whose laptop computer was broken; Murtala Adewale of The Guardian newspaper, Bashir Bello of Vanguard newspaper, Abdulmumin Murtala of Management newspaper, Sadiq Iliyasu Dambatta of Channels Tv, and Caleb Jacob and Victor Christopher of Cool FM, Wazobia FM, and Arewa Radio broadcasters; digicam operators John Umar of Channels Tv, Ibrahim Babarami of Come up Information, Iliyasu Yusuf of AIT broadcaster, Usman Adam of TVC Information; and multimedia journalist Salim Umar Ibrahim of Each day Belief newspaper.

In southern Delta State, not less than 10 unidentified assailants against the protest attacked 4 journalists: reporters Monday Osayande of The Guardian newspaper, Matthew Ochei of Punch newspaper, Lucy Ezeliora of The Pointer newspaper, and investigative journalist Prince Amour Udemude, whose telephone was snatched. Osayande advised CPJ by telephone that they didn’t make a proper grievance to police in regards to the assault as a result of a number of law enforcement officials noticed it occur, however added that the state commissioner for info, Efeanyi Micheal Osuoza, had promised to research. Osuoza advised CPJ by telephone that he was investigating the matter and would make sure the alternative of Udemude’s telephone.

August 3

In Abuja’s nationwide stadium, masked safety forces fired bullets and tear gasoline within the course of 18 journalists overlaying the protests, a number of of whom have been sporting “Press” vests.

The journalists have been: Premium Instances reporters Abdulkareem Mojeed, Emmanuel Agbo, Abdulqudus Ogundapo, and Popoola Ademola; TheCable videographer Mbasirike Joshua and reporters Dyepkazah Shibayan, Bolanle Olabimtan, and Claire Mother; AIT reporter Oscar Ihimhekpen and digicam operators Femi Kuku and Olugbenga Ogunlade; Information Central TV digicam operator Eno-Obong Koffi and reporter Emmanuel Bagudu; the nonprofit Worldwide Centre for Investigative Reporting’s video journalist Johnson Fatumbi and reporters Mustapha Usman and Nurudeen Akewushola; and Peoples Gazette reporters Akintade and Ebube Ibeh.

Kuku dislocated his leg and Ademola lower his knees and broke his telephone whereas fleeing.

In Abuja’s Wuse neighborhood, unidentified males robbed Victorson Agbenson, political editor of the government-owned Radio Nigeria broadcaster, and his driver Chris Ikwu at knifepoint as they lined a protest.

August 6

In Lagos State, unidentified armed males hit 4 journalists from Information Central TV and their automobile with sticks. The journalists have been Information Central TV’s Akede, digicam operator Adobaba-Harry, reporter Consin-Mosheshe Ogheneruru, and digicam operator Albert David.Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh advised CPJ by telephone on August 16 that police didn’t perform any assaults on the media and requested for proof of such assaults earlier than ending the decision. She additionally accused CPJ of harassing her.

Police spokespersons Shiny Edafe of Delta State and Haruna Abdullahi of Kano State advised CPJ that their officers had not obtained any complaints about assaults on the press.

Lagos State police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin referred CPJ to the state’s police Grievance Response Unit, the place the one that answered CPJ’s preliminary telephone name declined to establish themselves and stated that they had no details about assaults on journalists. CPJ’s subsequent calls and messages went unanswered.

CPJ’s repeated calls and messages to Borno State Commissioner for Data Usman Tar requesting remark have been unanswered.

See additionally: CPJ’s steerage for journalists overlaying protests