MRA condemns attack on broadcast journalist — Features — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the brutal assault on a Port Harcourt-based broadcast journalist, Valuable Amadi, by members of Salvation Ministries Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

They referred to as on the Federal Authorities and regulation enforcement businesses to conduct an intensive investigation into the incident and be sure that all these chargeable for the assault are recognized, prosecuted, and punished.

Amadi was reportedly crushed and left unconscious by members of the church after he posted a report on his Fb timeline a few fireplace outbreak on the church premises situated on 17 Birabi Avenue in Port Harcourt.

Recounting the incident, the journalist stated although he helped to comprise the hearth by aiding church members in evacuating flammable furnishings from the church, in addition to making an attempt unsuccessfully to get the Rivers State Fireplace Service to come back to the premises to place out the hearth, he was shocked when he was falsely accused by the church members of spying. He recalled that they then proceeded to bodily assault him underneath the supervision of some junior pastors of the church.

He stated his two cellphones had been destroyed within the course of whereas he suffered a number of accidents, and was unlawfully detained for a number of hours. He added that his social Fb posts calling for assist had been deleted by the church members with out his consent whereas the info on his telephones had been cleaned in an try to erase proof of the assault and his name for assist.

MRA Programme Officer, John Gbadamosi, described the motion of the church members as a “despicable act and a grave violation of media freedom and human rights.”

Gbadamosi stated: “Such acts of violence in opposition to a journalist usually are not solely unacceptable but in addition represent a direct assault on media freedom and the suitable to freedom of expression, that are elementary pillars of any democratic society. No journalist ought to ever face intimidation, harassment, or bodily hurt for his or her reporting.”

He added that the position of the media is to tell the general public, and any try to silence journalists by way of violence constitutes a grave violation of their rights.

He referred to as on the Federal Authorities and the related regulation enforcement businesses to research this incident totally and be sure that these chargeable for the assault, together with those that immediately participated.

those that ordered it, and those that supervised it, are recognized and held accountable, stressing that “the protection and safety of journalists should be assured always, and any try to stifle media freedom should be met with the complete pressure of the regulation.”

Gbadamosi additionally urged the management of Salvation Ministries to take instant steps to deal with this example by condemning the assault, aiding regulation enforcement brokers to determine these accountable and guaranteeing justice is served.

He suggested the church to sensitise its members on the significance of respecting journalists and upholding democratic values, insisting that the suitable of the members of the media to report freely will not be negotiable.