The International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos has condemned the brutal killing of Ghanaian undercover journalist, Ahmed Hussein and called on the government to ensure the arrest and trial of its perpetrators.
In a statement signed by IPC Director, Lanre Arogundade, on Thursday, it noted that media reports had claimed Hussein was shot by gunmen on a motorbike on Wednesday night while driving home in his car.
He was reportedly shot three times, twice in the chest and another in the neck, it was learnt.
Before his untimely death, Hussein had previously made a complaint to police after a Ghanaian lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong, showed his photograph on a private television channel where he promised payment for supporters who took retribution against Hussein.
However, there were no measures to protect him, according to the statement made available to newsmen by the IPC in Lagos.
It added that IPC is aware that the Ghanaian Police is currently gathering information on the case, according to a statement from the director of the criminal investigations department, Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Dankwa.
The centre, however, tasked the Ghanaian authorities to make concerted efforts to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and seek justice for the alleged murder of the journalist.
The IPC also appealed to the Ghanaian security agents to fulfil their constitutional role of protecting and ensuring an environment conducive for freedom of expression, access to information and other fundamental freedoms.
It noted that this include protecting journalists against attacks by those who seek to prevent them from informing the public on corruption and other abuses of power.
“On average, every five days a journalist is killed across the world for bringing information to the public. Therefore, freedom of expression and safety of journalists as well as ending impunity for crimes committed against them are of vital importance to ensure the rule of law and human rights more broadly,” it stated.
