BEVERLY HILLS, October 16, (THEWILL) – Amnesty International says no fewer than 19 journalists and media practitioners have suffered attack in Nigeria between January and September 2019.
The human rights organisation disclosed this in its 42-page report entitled, ‘Endangered Voices: Attack On Freedom Of Expression In Nigeria’.
In the document launched in Abuja, the group noted that the figure was the highest recorded in the country since 2015.
One of the cases highlighted in the report is that of Jones Abiri, a journalist based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, who was arrested and detained for more than two years without trial for publishing a story about oil blocks and politics in Nigeria.
Another incident is that of Ahmed Salkida who was declared wanted by the Nigerian government for publishing an article and proof of life video of the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, among other cases.
“Since 2015, attacks on journalists and media activists have continued unabated. Amnesty International has been closely monitoring these attacks and now reports on how they have contributed to the violation of other human rights in Nigeria.
“These attacks take the form of verbal and physical assault, as well as indiscriminate arrest and detention by Nigerian authorities,” Amnesty said.
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