• Media Gags Violate Rule Of Law, Constitutes Abuse Of Power — Stakeholders
They described the action of DSS to censor and limit the media coverage of the trial as an affront on press freedom, adding that the agency has no power to accredit journalists’ coverage of a public trial in a Federal High Court in the country. The journalist was forced at gunpoint to delete all the pictures he took. It took the intervention of his colleagues who insisted that his phone must be returned.
Olajengbesi called on President Buhari to call the DSS officials to order, and also urged the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to re-orientate the DSS on the extent and limits of their powers under the law. Even though the presidency denied having a hand in the bills with President Buhari’s senior media adviser, Femi Adesina saying, “the President has nothing to do with that,” while the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, also reiterated that the Federal Government was not behind the bills, stressing that they were a private member’s bills, the Nigerian Press Organisations is convinced that the bills were meant to stifle the press and criminalise journalists for doing their job.
Constitutional law professor at USC, Erwin Chemerinsky, while commenting on the decision of the court, said: “The decision will really be followed not only in California, but throughout the country. That’s why it’s such an important precedent.” For the records, unfettered media access to court proceedings is guaranteed in the Nigerian constitution, and the principle of “open courts” means that anyone is allowed to watch most cases, and the media can generally report on what takes place.
The NPAN president noted that the press would be there long after the government of the day has gone and will continue to agitate for the freedom of the press in the country. “Unfortunately, the APC government seems to be blind to the fact that a viable opposition is needed to keep a government on its toes, and to hold it accountable because any democracy without a viable opposition is a despotic regime,” he said.
😂…, hell NO! Let me rephrase that for ya. “When misinformation merchants would rather they are allowed into a court room for resources to further their trade.” Now, that sound better since we are talking of Nigerian excuse for journalists here.
We need our country back, honestly.