Society of Digital Newspaper Owners of Nigeria (SDNON) has called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba to investigate last Sunday’s attack on Journalists who were in the convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
Some journalists who were conveyed in a coaster bus, were attacked after Tinubu visited the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akinolu, on Sunday.
In a statement by the national president of the Society, Otunba Femi Davies on Monday, the group expressed concern over the increased attacks faced by Nigerian Journalists in the course of performing their official duties.
It added that the safety of Journalists must be taken seriously due to the impact they make in the society.
The statement reads, “The attack shows the growing concern about the increased hazards being faced by Nigerian journalists in the course of performing their official duties recognized by the constitution.
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“As a union, we will not continue to fold our arms and watch this unnecessary clamp down on the media because if you want democracy to thrive, you must have respect for freedom of the press, and free speech and be protected in the cause of discharging the constitutional duties, which is very critical for the survival of democracy.
“However, the safety of Journalists goes beyond doing a favor for the individual Journalist; it is a sacred service to society.
“The Journalism profession is regarded as the Fourth Estate of the Realm or more poignantly, the Fourth Branch of Government because of the indirect influence it wields in governance.
“We hereby categorically call the Inspector General of Police and Lagos State Commissioner of Police for a serious, independent, and impartial investigation into this assault and other attacks against Journalists from Nigeria’s Government and Security agencies and to ensure that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law.”
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