*Demands justice, compensation for journalists attacked; maimed or killed in line of duty
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Ademola Babalola has charged the President elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to support and strengthen press freedom with his administration
Chief Babalola gave the charge at the weekend, while speaking at a one day Stakeholders’ Forum on Journalists’ Safety and Protecting Freedom of Expression in the age of Misinformation and Disinformation” held at Kakanfo Inn, Ibadan.
The NUJ Chairman pointed out that the time has come for governments at all levels to do away with any act that can stifle free press and its associated freedom of expression and speech as precursor for the other layers of human rights.
Chief Babalola stressed that the new government of Asiwaju Tinubu ” should as a matter of priority revisit the issue of compensation, payable to the families of our compatriots who have paid the supreme price in the line of duty and others harassed or assaulted by agents of the state”
” This year’s WPFD, coming few days to the inauguration of a new administration of President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, provides us the ample opportunity to appeal to the impending administration to support and strengthen press freedom”, he said.
Chief Babalola added, ” The government at all levels must do away with any act that can stifle free press and its associated freedom of expression and speech as precursor for the other layers of human rights”.
” I therefore wish to submit that the new government should as a matter of priority revisit the issue of compensation, payable to the families of our compatriots who have paid the supreme price in the line of duty and others harassed or assaulted by agents of the state” .
Speaking further, the Oyo state NUJ Chairman stressed, ” as journalists, we must at all times uphold the integrity and sanctity of our profession by ensuring that ethics of our profession become our guiding philosophy in our daily lives”.
” To this end, I want to urge the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a democrat and advocate of free press to revisit many of the injustices metted to the media industry, especially journalists by instituting a judicial panel of enquiry in facilitating justice for our Comrades attacked; maimed or killed in the line of duty”.
Earlier, the NUJ Chairman frowned at the level of misinformation and disinformation in the country, describing it as alarming and that ” if Freedom of Expression must be protected, then, all efforts must be emplaced to eliminate or reduce it to the barest minimum”
” The topic of this programme: Protecting Freedom of Expression in the Age of Misinformation and Disinformation, is very apt. The level of misinformation and disinformation in the country these days is alarming. If Freedom of Expression must be protected, then, all efforts must be emplaced to eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum the high rate of misinformation and disinformation, which is also known as fake news”.
