Abuja-based rights activist, Paul Njoku, has berated the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, over threats to sanction the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Trust TV for releasing documentaries on insecurity which featured interviews with notorious terrorists.
The Minister had described the video reports as an unprofessional, saying that they glorified the terrorists. According to him, they were also capable of fuelling terrorism in the country.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, the rights activist said: “It is unacceptably sad that Lai Mohammed seems to relish in gagging the media. He should be aware that even International Humanitarian Law protects journalists in armed – conflict situation.
“I urge him to take the battle to the murderous terrorists and bandits than ceaselessly seeking stifling the media the same way he did during the #EndSars 2020 protest.
“He should be told that the media is universally protected by the international laws to dutifully cover war news, conduct interviews and run documentaries with any group of people or persons for public consumption and education.
“The Federal Government should protect and appreciate the BBC and Daily Trust for their courageous documentaries on bandit terror warlords.
“Is the Federal Government saying that journalists should not do their job again? Why is the government sad over the documentaries? Are they hiding something we do not know?
“The Buhari government should be told that Article 79 of the API to Geneva Conventions (GC) provides that ‘journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians’ and ‘be protected as such’ under IHL’
The media is not the cause of the incompetence of this government where terrorists are visibly disgracing the Nigerian space with gruesome and open terror attacks. Enough is enough,” Njoku stated.
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