Buhari Committed To Ending Violence Against Journalists – Malami

Attorney -general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is committed to bringing to an end undemocratic and uncultured activities in the country, including violence against journalists.

Malami said the feat would be achieved through the administration of legally justifiable approaches on the perpetrators in order to serve as deterrent to others.

He spoke in Abuja, yesterday, at the on-going occasion of the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists with the theme: “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria.” The justice minister noted with happiness that the federal and some state governments have taken precautionary and proactive steps in taming the tides of undemocratic culture and activities.

He renewed his call on those still involved in the electioneering process to appreciate the fact that political activities are to be observed in accordance with the provisions of the electoral law.

Malami requested them to join hands in making sure that all campaign utterances are humane and in conformity with global best practices, thereby contributing to violence-free electoral process.

“As the 2023 election campaign gathered momentum, we chose the theme of this celebration to revolve around ‘Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria.”

“This proactive engagement has the objective of enlightenment to shun electoral offences with the sole intention of making healthier processes at all levels of electioneering campaigns.

“It is important to note that recent developments in Nigeria proved that the Federal Government has laudable initiatives to end impunity for crimes against Nigerian citizens.

“Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) report says Nigeria was the only country to get off the index of nations with impunity for crimes against journalists in 2020.

“The Federal Government renewed commitment to end impunity for crimes against journalists.

“The 2020 global index for impunity for crimes against journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), released on Wednesday 28th day of November 2020, indicated that Nigeria is the only country that came off the index from 2019.

“This achievement is not unconnected with deliberate and committed efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government through the implementation of many reforms in the Nigerian justice sector to include increased access to justice, speedy justice dispensation, decongestion of Nigeria’s correctional centers and judicious implementation of the Criminal Justice Act.

“Let me express our appreciation to our partners; the Management Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) programme of the European Union supervised by the British Council and the Kano State Government under the able leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for their support to this programme,” he said.

The AGF urged the participants to make the best use of what they stand to gain by the careful selection of eminent scholars, practitioners and experts in various related fields adding that his office would expect recommendations from the policy dialogue for use.