FG urged to obey court’s order on attacks against journalists

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has urged the federal government to comply with the orders of a Federal High Court directing it to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioners.

The court order also directed the government to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of all attacks against journalists.

In a letter to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, dated August 12, 2024, MRA expressed deep concern regarding recent reports of continued attacks and harassment of journalists particularly during the #EndBadGovernance protests, despite a subsisting court order on preventing attacks on media practitioners.

A statement by Idowu Adewale, MRA’s Communications Officer, quoted the Head of the organisation’s Legal Department, Ms Obioma Okonkwo, as reminding the Attorney-General of the judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo on February 16, 2024, in a suit it filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation in which the court granted the eight declarations sought by MRA.

The court, according to MRA, issued three orders directing the federal government to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists, investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of all attacks against journalists and take measures to build the capacities of various stakeholders, particularly media practitioners and law enforcement officers on the laws and standards for ensuring the safety of journalists.

Ms Okonkwo said: “As the chief law officer of the country and respondent in the suit referred to above, it is your constitutional duty to ensure that the rule of law is upheld and that all orders of the court are complied with fully and without delay. Non-compliance with such orders not only undermines the judicial process, it also threatens the very fabric of our democratic society.”

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