The NUJ, in a statement Tuesday in Abuja, observed that it is becoming the norm for politicians who feel slighted or offended by reports of journalists to resort to petitioning the office of the IGP, who then invites and in some instances, detain such journalists.
In the statement signed by the chairman of Council, Comrade Chuks Ehirim, he stated that there were sufficient laws to deal with issues of libel and slander, and urged the IGP to advise such persons to proceed to court.
“There is a dangerous trend which if not checked now would infringe seriously on the practice of journalism in this country. And that is the fact that politicians and other ‘big men’ in the country now resort to petitioning the office of the IGP over stories by journalists they feel uncomfortable about.
“Over the past three months, we have had cases of journalists being invited for questioning based on petitions by some politicians and ‘big men.’ This country is not in want of laws to tackle issues bordering on libel and slander.
“If any of these persons feel they have been libeled or slandered, they should proceed to court and stop using the police to harass journalists in the course of their jobs. We wish to remind the police and these persons that the constitution guarantees the media to hold government and its officials accountable to the Nigeria people and this, I strongly believe, the media would not shirk away from,” the statement said.
The NUJ’s position is coming on the heels of the detention of the publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Power Steering magazine, Mr. Tom Oga Uhia by the police in Abuja on Tuesday.
Uhia was detained after honouring an invitation by the IGP based on a petition by Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.
Suswam had dragged the publisher alongside the main challenger in the 2011 governorship election, Prof. Steve Ugbah before a Makurdi High Court over allegations of certificate forgery.
