Protest: Group condemns harassment of journalists, excesses of Nigerian security operatives

*The Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development, a non-governmental organisation, condemns the actions of some security personnel over reported human rights violations during the nationwide protest, urging the Inspector-General of Police to sanction officers found culpable in molestation of journalists in the line of duty

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Following the nationwide protest tagged, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, embarked upon by various youth groups and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from August 1, 2024, in a bid to demand key policy reforms by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in Nigeria, some innocent citizens have fallen victims to the protest in different parts of the country.

The protesters have commenced the action in a bid to demand key policy reforms by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

The August national protest is due to the ever increasing rate of inflation, which was further induced by the floating of the Naira and the removal of fuel subsidy.

The protest has left in its trail pains, destruction and the excesses of the government’s security agents.

Report indicates some of those affected mainly in the line of duty includes journalists, as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

In the course of the week, in Abuja, FCT, several journalists suffered different degrees of harassment and crude brutality of the Police and other security operatives, according to report.

Narrating his ordeal at the hands of the security agents in the FCT, Mr. Hilary Damissah, Editor at DigiVation Network, said he was an unfortunate victim of the protest.

He stated that security agents manhandled and left him with injuries around the Berger Bridge location in Abuja.

Damissah also related how he was rattled by tear gas canister fired at him, at a close range from a stationary Police Hilux van in the area.

According to him, his offence was his attempt at taking photographs of some protesters and onlookers, which the Police officers considered offensive to them.

As he made an effort at scampering for safety, the security agents further assaulted him with the use of baton, sustaining a serious injury and a deep cut on his pointer finger in the process.

He, however, managed to escape to a safe place with the help of some protesters, while gasping for breath.

The editor was afterwards rushed to a medical facility in the Kaura District area of Abuja for medical attention.

An eye-witness at the scene of the event said the journalist was still unfortunate because moments before the incident, a combined team of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had informed some of the protesters that the Berger location was neither open nor approved for any protest.

Security personnel reportedly had commented that such an unauthorised action at the location would be resisted for what they described as an “order from above”.

A senior Police officer was quoted to have retorted: “We are here to enforce law and ensure strict compliance with all the directives, which forbid any demonstration around this place.

“And anyone who refuses to obey will have himself/herself to blame.”

In its remarks on the incident, the Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), where Damissah also serves as the Executive Director, in a statement, condemned the actions of the Police and sister security bodies.

CECAD described police brutality as “disgraceful, distasteful, and a violation of international conventions which guarantees the protection of the rights of journalists even in the most severe crises or war situations.”

Bayero Agabi, President of CECAD, said: “The action of the government security personnel is a complete act of human rights violations which contradicts best global policing practices.”

He urged the Inspector-General of Police to bring to book officers found wanting in the abuse and molestation of journalists, those especially in the line of duty.

Agabi noted the commitment of journalists to a social cause is already a selfless service, which exposes them to a great deal of hazards, describing media professionals as partners in progress with law enforcement operatives.

In a related development, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, in Abuja, security operatives, in the week, also moved into the venue of the hunger protest in an attempt to force the protesters to disperse.

The masked official mounted a post at a strategic position near one of the main entrances to the stadium, report said.

After a while, the protesters regrouped but the security forces fired gunshots into the air, and used teargas to disperse the crowd.

Security agents, in the process, arrested some protesters and journalists some of whom were later released upon self-identification.

It is noted that the apparently uncivil stance of the some security personnel has come on after Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) recently declared, that the Nigerian military would take action over the situation if the protests get out of hand.

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