The Federal Government of Nigeria has promised to uphold actions that would end impunity for crimes against journalists in the country, especially as the 2023 election campaign gathers momentum.

 

At a two-day policy dialogue in commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, stakeholders agreed that the best approach to shunning electoral offences, with the sole aim of making healthier processes at all levels of electioneering campaigns, is ensuring the safety of Journalists on the field.

Declaring the event open, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said the federal and some state governments have taken precautionary and proactive steps in taming the tides of crimes against journalists.

 

According to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is committed to bringing an end to undemocratic and uncultured activities through the administration of legally justifiable approaches on the perpetrators in order to serve as deterrence to others.

He called on those involved in electioneering process to appreciate the fact that political activities are to be observed in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Law, hence the need for all to join hand in making sure that all campaign utterances are humane and in conformity with global best practices, thereby contributing to violence-free electoral process.

 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, represented by the Special Assistant to the President on media, Femi Adesina, reechoed government’s determination to ensure freedom of information and the safety of Journalists in the country.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who gave an overview of the celebration, said the United Nations passed a resolution at its sixty-eight General Assembly in 2013, proclaiming second November every year as International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, in response to the threats of violence and crimes Journalists often encounter in the course of carrying out their job, and the apparent failure of governments to bring the perpetrators of such violence and crimes to justice.

 

The INEC boss represented by Mohammed Haruna urged Journalists to, regardless of religion, region or ethnicity, remember that they are all stakeholders in the country’s peace and progress and as such, must play their own role,alongside other stakeholders, so next year’s general elections will be the best in the country’s history and among the best in the world.

 

Others who spoke at the event with the theme, “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria”, including the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, represented by his Attorney General, Musa Abdullahi Lawan, and Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo of the Managing Conflict in Nigeria Programme, agree that the media can determine if the election is peaceful.

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