By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has reiterated the federal government’s efforts to eliminate impunity for crimes against journalists in Nigeria through a deliberate implementation of many reforms in the Nigerian justice sector.
This is even as the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has lauded the United Nations (UN) for declaring November 2 every year as International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
Speaking on Monday at the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crime Against Journalists with the theme: “Media, Civil Society and Violence-freeElection in Nigeria” holding from November 1-2, in Abuja, Malami posited that it is important to note that the recent developments in Nigeria proved that the federal government has laudable initiatives to end impunity for crimes against Nigerian citizens.
According to him: “the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CJP) report says that Nigeria was the only country to get off the index of nations with impunity for crimes against journalists in 2022. The federal government renewed commitment to impunity for crimes against journalists”.
An elated Malami revealed that: “The 2020 global index for impunity for crimes against journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists, released on Wednesday 28th day of 2020, indicated that Nigeria is the only country that cameout of the index in 2019”.
The Minister insists that this achievement by Nigeria is not unconnected with the delibrate and committed efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government through the implementation of many reforms in the Nigerian justice sector to include increased access to justice, speedy justice dispensation, decongestion of Nigeria’s Correctional Centers and judicious implementation of the Criminal Justice Act”.
Malami however cautioned Nigerians especially politicians and electorates that as the 2023 general election draws closer, it will be better to remind everyone to play according to the rule of the game to avoid being caught by the long arms of the law.
“It is imperative to renew our call on those involved in the electioneering process to appreciate the fact that political activities are to be observed in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Law”, the Minister concluded.
In his Keynote Address, INEC Chairman, Yakubu commended the initiative of the UN 12 years ago to started work on a programme aimed at creating a free and safe environment for journalists to do their work in both conflict and non-conflict situations so as to strengthen peace, democracy and development worldwide.
The INEC boss who was represented by a National Commissioner, Malam Mohammed Haruna said the main theme for this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists is “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria” is apt.
According to him: “As we head towards next year’s General Election beginning on February 25, it is important that everything possible is done to protect journalists from not only violence and crimes. It is also important that they are protected from any action that will impede them from doing their job of informing and educating the public on every aspect of the general election in particular and our democracy in general”.
Speaking further he said: “Nigeria is exceptionally lucky that it is not among the countries that are notorious for intimidating and killing journalists, as is the case in several South American and Asian countries”
“This, however, is not to say that the country does not have its own fair share of threats, violence and crimes against journalists.
“Only this month we had the case of the Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Bello Muhammad Matawalle who closed down some leading media outfits in his state, using the pretext of widespread insecurity in the state to say their coverage of election campaigns in the state violated his order against electioneering”.
He also argued that “A free media may not be sufficient for democracy to survive and thrive, but it is an absolutely necessary condition. Hence the belief in, and commitment of, the INEC, as both the conductor and regulator of Nigeria’s electoral system, in the freedom of journalists to do their work”.
“It is this belief and commitment by the Commission in a free media that has led it to include it (the media) among four of the many stakeholders in our democracy that it has held regular quarterly-and the odd emergency – meetings with since I became Chairman in 2015”.
