The Federal Government was directed by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday to look into and bring charges against those who killed journalists in Nigeria between 1986 and 2023.
One of the people that perished during this time was Dele Giwa, the creator of Newswatch Magazine.
The Attorney-General of the Federation was sued by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, who sought a number of reliefs, including a ruling that the murder of Nigerian journalists violates their fundamental right to life.
The organization also aimed to uphold the African Charter on Human Rights and the 1999 Constitution’s guarantees of media practitioners’ fundamental rights to safety.
Read Also: Lukman: Tinubu’s harsh economic policies are making APC less relevant
The AGF is purportedly doing little to stop security agents from harassing certain journalists, according to the MRA.
In her ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo mandated that the Federal Government guarantee the sufficient safeguarding and security of journalists’ lives, as guaranteed by Articles 4 and 9 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights and Sections 33 and 39 of the Constitution.
Details to follow.
