2023 Polls: Experts Urge Security Agencies To Protect Journalists

Network for Peace Journalists on the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) programme in collaboration with Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) and Mercy Corps, have called on the security agencies to ensure safety of journalists during the general election.

In a communique issued at the end of a 1-day Media Engagement on Conflict Reporting /Early Warning Response Training signed by its team leader, Ibrahim Yakubu they emphasised on the need for stakeholders to support and  protect  journalists that would be covering the elections at various communities.

According to the communique, media practitioners in the country should sensitize and educate Nigerians not to see the 2023 general election as a do or die affair.

“The media owners in Kaduna and Nigeria should support and equip their reporters with modern equipment so as to enable them to discharge their duties effectively during the general elections.

“Security agencies and para-military and equally the communities should provide security to all the journalists, when covering the general elections at the polling centers, before, during and after the elections.

“Religious leaders should not preach disunity during, before and after the elections, so as not to cause division among citizens in the state and Nigeria as a whole,” the communique.