No fewer than 1,700 journalists were reportedly killed across the world between 2006 and 2024. The alarm was raised at the weekend by the Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ.
The NUJ in a statement by the National Secretary, Achike Chude, to mark this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, (IDEI) stated that “90% of these killings have remained unsolved, perhaps an indication that authorities have not treated these atrocities with the seriousness they deserve.
“The union emphasised that journalists are ever ready to contribute their own quota to the development of Nigeria, “and are ever ready to collaborate with the authorities on a common agenda of development and peace building.
“Between 2006 and 2024, over 1,700 journalists have been killed worldwide. 90% of these killings have remained unsolved, perhaps an indication that authorities have not treated these atrocities with the seriousness they deserve,” it emphasized.
NUJ added, “The crimes against the people of the pen is not just a crime against them but speaks of a greater and more insidious plot to undermine the whole of society by stifling those saddled with the responsibility of bringing light to the darkness imposed on society by bad actors, whether state or non-state.
“It has often been said that when journalists are threatened, the free civic space is threatened and social decline sets in. Sadly, our continent and the Nigerian socio-political space are not impervious to assaults against journalists and their media organisations as data has continuously shown growing discomfort against the people of the pen by state and non-state actors.
“NUJ stressed further, “Let us state it for the umpteenth time that journalists are ever ready to contribute their own quota to the development of our country Nigeria, and are ever ready to collaborate with the authorities on a common agenda of development and peace building.
“Any act of intimidation of journalists in the performance of their duties will not be looked at kindly, will be resisted, and will ultimately fail. A virile media automatically equates in the long run to a virile society”, the NUJ said.