Folarin Kehinde

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has sued President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for “the unlawful ban and withdrawal of the accreditations of 25 journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.”

The Federal Government allegedly recently revoked the accreditations of some 25 journalists who had been covering events in the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

LEADING REPORTERS understands that the affected journalists were instructed to turn in their accreditation tags at the Presidential Villa’s main gate.

In the lawsuit, the Federal High Court in Lagos under the case number FHC/L/CS/1766/23, SERAP asked for “an order to direct and compel President Tinubu to reverse the revocation of the accreditations and ban on 25 journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.”

SERAP is seeking: “an order of perpetual injunction to restrain President Tinubu or any other authority, person or group of persons from arbitrarily and unilaterally revoking the accreditations of any journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.

“a declaration that the withdrawal and revocation of accreditation tags and ban on the journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa without any lawful justifications is inconsistent with the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, participation, and media freedom.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “If not reversed, the arbitrary ban on the journalists from covering the Presidential Villa would open the door to other cases of arbitrariness and would restrict people’s right to freedom of expression, access to information, participation, and media freedom.

“The withdrawal of the accreditations of the journalists is without any lawful justifications. It is inconsistent and incompatible with plurality of voices, diversity of voices, non-discrimination, and just demands of a democratic society, as well as the public interest.”

“The ban on the journalists from covering the Presidential Villa fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and access to information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.

“The existence of a free, independent, vigorous, pluralistic, and diverse media is essential for the proper functioning of a democratic society.

“The free circulation of ideas and news is not possible except in the context of a plurality of sources of information and media outlets. The lack of plurality in sources of information is a serious obstacle for the functioning of democracy.

“The exercise of the right to freedom of expression through the media is a guarantee that is fundamental for advancing the collective deliberative process on public and democratic issues.

“The strengthening of the guarantee of freedom of expression is a precondition for the exercise of other human rights, as well as a precondition to the right to participation to be informed and reasoned.

“Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party, freedom and diversity must be guiding principles in the measures to promote media freedom. The ban on the 25 journalists is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with these principles.

“The Federal Government should aspire to promote and expand the scope of media freedom, access to information, freedom of expression, and citizens’ participation, not restrict these fundamental freedoms.

“Barring these journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa is to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate constitutional responsibility,” SERAP lawyers – Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Kolawole Oluwadare, and Valentina Adegoke, argued.

“The withdrawal of the accreditation tags of these journalists directly violates media freedom and human rights including access to information and the right to participation.

It would have a significant chilling effect on newsgathering and reporting functions, and may lead to self-censorship. The withdrawal of the accreditations of the journalists would construct barriers between Nigerians and certain information about the operations of their government, something which they have a constitutional right to receive.

“Media freedom, access to information and the right to participation are necessary for the maintenance of an open and accountable government. These freedoms are so fundamental in a democracy that they trump any vague grounds of ‘security concerns and overcrowding of the press gallery area.’

“According to reports, the Federal Government on 18 August 2023 withdrew the accreditation tags of some 25 journalists and media houses from covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“The banned journalists reportedly include those from Vanguard newspaper; Galaxy TV; Ben TV; MITV; ITV Abuja; PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty. Other media personnel affected by the withdrawal are mostly reporters and cameramen from broadcast, print, and online media outlets.

“Under section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution, the mass media including ‘the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.’”

“Section 14(2)(c) of the Constitution provides that ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

“Similarly, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides that, ‘Every individual shall have the right to receive information. Every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinions.

“Article 13 of the Charter also provides that, ‘Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country. Every citizen shall have the right of equal access to the public service of his country. Every individual shall have the right of access to public property and services.

“Articles 19 and 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights contain similar provisions,” the suit added.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

A 20-year-old boy, simply identified as Ridwan, has confessed that he killed his biological father for money ritual in Ogun State.

He was arrested on Thursday by men of the Ogun State So-Safe Corps at Oshoku village, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The So-Safe Corps Commander, Soji Ganzallo, in a statement by the corps spokesman, Moruf Yusuf, said at about 12am on Thursday, August 31, officers of the corps on routine patrol heard a strange noise in a building at Oshoku.

The officers were said to have made their way into the building to confirm what was happening, “but to the officers’ dismay, they found a man’s body lying lifeless in a pool of his own blood and the alleged killer fled the scene,” Ganzallo said.

The statement quoted Ganzallo as having instructed the Zonal Commander, Ijebu Zonal Command, Marcus Ayankoya, to get the suspected killer arrested within 24 hours.

“The suspected killer was nabbed where he was hiding in a bush.

“He confessed to have killed his father, Ishau with a rope tied to his neck and a knife used to remove the needed parts of his body for ritual purpose,” he said.

The corps commander noted that the alleged killer told the officers of the corps during interrogation that “he only removed the private part, larynx, and just four teeth of his father as requested by a ritualist he identified as Baba Kekere.”

Ganzallo further revealed that when he was asked about the whereabouts of the ritualist, he refused to give details.

He stated that the alleged killer had been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force, Ogbere Divisional Headquarters, for further investigation and likely prosecution.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has fixed September 5, 2023, to proceed on a warning strike over the unbearable suffering faced by Nigerians after the subsidy removal policy.

President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, issued the threat on Friday after the union’s National Executive Council.

Labour also berated the Federal Government for interfering in the affairs of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), saying it would do everything to resist such undue interference.

The apex workers union also accused the Imo State Government of meddling in their affairs.

Details later…

Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has ordered the immediate demolition of Dominion and EAN hangars to pave way for expansion of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Two (MMIA 2), Lagos.

Keyamo stated this on Thursday at the Lagos Airport during the tour of the facilities.

Keyamo further expressed dismay about the unkempt environment at the airport, giving various orders for the ares to be kept clean.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Mr Olawale Musa, has said that the Lagos State Government will begin a “pay-as-you-go” programme next year with regards to the payment of pensions in the state.

Musa also commended the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the consistent and prompt payment of pensions to public service retirees.

Commending the governor on Wednesday while delivering a keynote address at the 101st Bond Certificate presentation ceremony held at Ikeja, Musa said the Sanwo-Olu had been working assiduously “to ensure that the state attains a level where retirees get their entitlement immediately as they retire.”

While also lauding the management of the Lagos Pension Commission for its effort in ensuring the prompt payment of pensions to retirees, Musa said “payment of pensions would not be made in arrears anymore,” adding that the “state government would commence ‘pay as you go’ programme from next year.”

In his remarks, the Director General of LASPEC, Mr Babalola Obilana, stated that the Lagos State Government had paid over N2 billion to 644 retirees of the state’s public service that were present at the ceremony being their past service benefits before the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2007.