Stop The Siege On Press Freedom, Activist Warns Nigerian Govt

Comrade Chibuzo Ogbonna

An activist and leader of a pro democracy group, Agenda for New Nigeria (ANN), Comrade Ogbonna Emeka Chibuzo, has once again criticized the Federal Government of Nigeria over its increasing attacks on freedom of expression in the country.

He specifically decried the harassment, intimidation, and arrest of activists and journalists who criticize government bad policies, using agents of the Department of State Security (DSS) and Police.

According to Comrade Ogbonna, “Nigeria is gradually turning to a Police state.

“Journalist, activists and even bloggers who criticize the government’s bad governance are constantly being harassed, threatened, attacked and arrested because of their dissenting voices.

“Some are detained without trial and trumped up charges brought up against them in order to jail them.

“An example is the case of Omoyele Sowore, an activist, publisher and convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement#, who has been charged with treasonable felony, because he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression.

“Even media houses are not spared in the onslaught”, he said.

He continued, ” Latest report released by Amnesty International on October 14, 2019, highlighted that 19 journalists had been attacked by agents of government within a space of nine months, between January 2019 to September 2019″.

When asked if he had faced any harassment from the Nigerian government, he answered, ” I was beaten by the police for participating in the peaceful protest organized by #RevolutionNow Movement# in August 5, 2019.

“I’ve also received phone threat from anonymous caller warning me to desist from criticizing the government.

“However, I can assure you that we will not be deterred, but will continue to raise our voices against government’s maladministration, until government decides to do the right things, such as fighting corruption, tackling the prevailing high level of insecurity and kidnappings, high level of poverty, high unemployment rate and other policies that’ll impact positively on the lives of Nigerians”.

He concluded:  “There can’t  be any democracy without press freedom because the media forms the backbone of a democracy.

“Government ought to see the media as partners in progress, and should stop the unlawful arrest, harassment and attacks on citizens criticizing its maladministration”.