IHRC CAUTIONS ON POLICE HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS IN NIGERIA
The IHRC Africa Region HQ has continued to make contacts with the Police departments in the African countries with a view to ensuring good relations between the two organizations.
In retrospect, the IHRC Situation Room cites one of the occasions in Nigeria when the IHRC Coordinator/Special Envoy to Nigeria, Darlington Amadi Chidiebere on a courtesy call to the Nigerian Inspector General of Police discussed cases of harassment of journalists carrying out their legitimate duties by some Police officers. On Friday 27th June 2014, Nigeria Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, assured the executive members of the IHRC Nigeria Office who paid him a courtesy visit, that the Police in Nigeria has zero-tolerance for impunity, harassment and corruption.
It was published at the time that the Nigeria Police emphasized how it’s men and officers of the Command do respect the human rights of all particularly the rights of journalists. Deputy Inspector General of Police P. Y Gana who represented the Inspector General of Police insisted that any policeman that harasses any journalist wants to tarnish the image of the Police and create problems for the Inspector General.
He said that policemen attend several training courses to become accustomed to the issues and refrain from harassing journalists. Earlier the IHRC Coordinator/Special Envoy to Nigeria Darlington Amadi Chidiebere described instances of Police brutality and harassment noting that the visit was an opportunity to design ways and means to work in close collaboration and devise channels for reporting directly to the Police high command all cases in this regard. The meeting agreed that the details and all strategies were to be worked out in another session.
Ahead of the formal parley, the IHRC Africa Region HQ Director/Ambassador, H.E Dr. Tivlumun Innocent Ahure advised in official communication with the IHRC Nigeria to do an inventory of such cases of Police harassment and submit it to the Nigerian Inspector General of Police.
Dr. Ahure advised that the IHRC Nigeria should further sensitize the journalists to avail themselves of the knowledge of whistle-blowing policies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and others. H.E Dr. Tivlumun Innocent Ahure said while speaking up to correct the ills of injustice and harassment to journalists, the other part is to advise that journalists should avoid publishing sensational or unconfirmed stories.
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