The Osun Online Media Practitioners Association, the umbrella body of all Online News Publishers in the State, has condemned the shooting of the Nation Newspaper correspondent, Toba Adedeji and arrest of an the publisher of Adulawo news, Fatai Akanji by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
Adedeji was shot by police officer while he was covering a peaceful procession by some youth in honour of late Abiola Afolabi, who was shot dead police earlier in April.
Afolabi’s burial was held in Ilesha on Tuesday.
Akanji was arrested later in the afternoon by police at same venue for allegedly appearing in one of the pictures sent online.
The Online Media Practitioners in a statement by its Chairman, Jare Tiamiyu and Publicity Secretary, Bright Gbotemi described the latest development in Osun as barbaric and a siege on journalism in the State.
“The action of the police was barbaric to have arrested and took Fatai to their custody for more than 45 minutes at the Dugbe police station, Osogbo.
We learned that the policemen acted on the directives of other security colleagues who had threatened to deal with the leadership of the media outfit for publishing a news story titled, “Osun Police Shoot Journalist, One Other In Osogbo”.
It was witnessed that the publisher, Fatai has been released after due intervention by the Online Media Practitioners and Nigeria union of Journalists, Osun state council.
The dastard action of the police is another threat to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press as the fourth estate of the realm.
The police is learned enough to know that in such instance, there is room for maintaining other in a social gathering instead of taking laws into their hands by dehumanising and shooting a journalist.
The freedom of expression as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees the right to express views on issues through any medium of choice.
The association advised the Inspector General of Police to immediately find ways of cautioning his men from harassing media professionals.
“All overzealous activities of security operatives against the press must stop for democracy to survive and thrive.
We advise that the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba as a matter of urgency should resort to appropriate alternative measures to save the state from further unrest and crisis rather than allowing bad elements in the Osun force adopting an undemocratic move in gagging the press and citizens with “gun”.
