Stop harassment of journalists, Okei-Odumakin warns security agencies

The President of Centre for Change, Joe Okei-Odumakin, on Monday condemned the incessant harassment of journalists by security agencies.

Odumakin particularly kicked at the harassment of Journalists at the Federal High Court in Abuja during the botched trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

In a statement titled: ‘Stop the harassment of journalists’,  Odumakin, who doubles as the President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, said regardless of the sensitivity of a trial, Nigerians deserved to be informed.

The activist was reacting to the arrest of Sahara Reporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and others by security operatives on Monday at the court premises.

The ‘Buhari-must-go’ campaigner was picked up while he streamed activities around the court on Facebook.

He was said to have been in court in solidarity with the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu; as well as the ‘Buhari-must-go’ protesters who were arrested at Dunamis Church and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Sowore and the other journalists were, however, released some hours later.

Reacting, Okei-Odumakin said: “These must stop. The freedoms, liberties, and fundamental rights of citizens are not at the whims and caprices of security operatives or of the government they purport to work for.

“Security operatives are public servants who owe their authority to the Constitution and not to the government of the day.

“Regardless how sensitive a trial may be, the people deserve to be informed of goings-on. Whether the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, or that of the Yoruba self-determination activist, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, government must not muzzle the media.

“All these harassments of journalists performing their lawful duty of informing the populace must cease.

“The media have been saddled with the responsibility of holding government accountable to the people.

“This duty they must be allowed to perform without shackles and hindrances of any sort.

“Once again it bears repeating that this is a democracy and a nation under law, not a dictatorship or Banana Republic.”