The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution security agencies against arresting and intimidating journalists.
The centre described the threat and censorship faced by media practitioners in the course of carrying out their statutory responsibilities as unacceptable and absurd.
Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Jubril Shittu, who made the call in Abuja at a media parley, called for the repeal or amendment of laws that restrict press freedom, such as the Cybercrime Act.
Shittu, represented by Lucy James Abagi, the Director of Partnerships and Innovation of the centre, urged the government to stop using the Cybercrime Act to suppress the media and civic space.
He cited the recent detention of investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu, held without charge for over a week, and the arrest of journalists like Segun Olatunji, lamenting that in 2024 alone, over 34 cases of arrests nationwide were documented.
“These actions threaten press freedom and undermine our democracy. So far in 2024, our partners at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) have documented over 34 cases of arrests nationwide.
“We call on the Nigerian government to uphold the rights of journalists, ensure their protection, and foster an environment where the media can operate freely and without fear,” he stated.
The Head of Communication of the centre, Munachi Okoro, said the parley was organized to bring together influential voices from the media to address pressing issues affecting journalism and media freedom in Nigeria.
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