Chioma Obinna
17 November 2008
A media focussed Non- Governmental Organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) yesterday condemned the frequent harassment of media workers in Nigeria by security agents.
The group pointed out that if the trend continues unchecked, it could undermine the growth of democracy, respect for the Human Rights of Nigeria and the respect for the Rule of Law.
The group specifically criticized the ongoing arrest, and interrogations of the senior editorial members of the national daily LEADERSHIP newspapers over a recent publication of a story on the health of the president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and his alleged absence from high profile state's functions.
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said the action of the States Security Service amounted to the fragrant abuse of the human Rights of these journalists and is also an unconstitutional use of self help measures by the security agencies against these media workers.
"The use of the SSS to harass, intimidate and interrogate media workers over a report alleged to be false and offensive against the person of the president is the use of self help measure and confers unfair advantage over one side against the other and in this case in favour of the person of the president", the group said.
The group which advised journalists in Nigeria to be circumspect and always cross check their facts before publication, however stated that it is not the work of the States Security Service nor the Federal Attorney General to deploy the resources of Nigeria to engage in the judicial battle for the president against another bonafide citizen of the country.
They insisted that the president should instruct his private lawyers to handle the matter if the apologies tendered by the newspaper over some mix ups in the said publication is not a sufficient atonement for the alleged false publication against the person of the president.
According to the Rights Group it is wrong and morally reprehensible for the officials of Government to use Nigeria's taxpayers' funds to prosecute their private legal matters.
The Group also stated that it is for the Court of competent jurisdiction to so make a pronouncement of guilt against the journalists before the law enforcement agents would be allowed by law to enforce the decision.
HURIWA asked rhetorically, "supposing Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'adua is not the president of Nigeria today and a national daily publishes what he considers as false, will he use the SSS and the services of the Federal Attorney General to prosecute the matter which to all intents and purposes is a private matter?
Will he not report to his lawyer to file the matter in court against the alleged offending party?." The Rights Group also stated that the incessant harassment of media workers in Nigeria by the security agents paid with taxpayers' money is against the tenets and provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria especially section 22 and chapter four of the constitution.
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