The Congress of the United States of America has in a letter dated 25th November 2019 expressed strong concerns about closing media and Civic space in the country.
The letter which was addressed to Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Sylvanus Nsofor detailed the trials faces by journalists in Nigeria and called on some positive action.
The letter read:
“We write to express strong concern about closing media and civic space in Nigeria. There have been a number of troubling reports about Nigerian security services assaultimg and detaining journalists, using excessive force on non-violent protestors and taking other actions that inhibit freedom of expression, and otherwise prevent Nigerians from fully exercising their fundamental constitutional rights.
Journalists and activists such as Omoyele Sowore, Jones Abiri. Kofi Bartels, Samuel Ogundipe, and others investigating and speaking-out about politically sensitive problems like cormuption or insecurity have been harassed and detained; with reports that some have even been tortured. In at least one instarnce, the Department of Security Services has ignored a court order to release a detained activist. Restrictions and deadly crackdowns on non-violent protests since 2015 have similarly reflected a lack of apparent commitment to civic freedoms which is beginning to negatively impact the image of Nigeria government, both at home and abroad. Security forces used live ammunition on Shite protestors in Zaria, Kaduna State in 2015: on protestors in Onitsha, Anambra State in 2016, again on a Shite procession in Abuja in 2018: raided the offices of the Daily Trust. and arrested the editor in January 2019; and shot and killed Precious Owolabi, a journalist covering a July 2019 protest in Abuja. These crackdowns have collectively killed fhundreds of Nigerian citizens, and serve as troubling demonstrations of the excessive force used by the military. The alleged perpetrators of these abuse lhave yet to be brought to justice.
Mr. Ambassador, Nigeria has a critical role to play in preserving peace and stabilty in west Anca, and as the most populous dlemocracy on the continent it could serve as a shining example of how countries can best obseve the righis enshrined in the Airican Charter on Human and People’s Rights. However, failure to respect the rights in the Charter and those in Nigerin’s own constitution undermine your nation’s ablity to lead in this area We urge you to ensure that the rights and liberties contained in the constitution are observed for all eitizens, and to take strong action ugainst further closing space for journalists, political opposition, and those in civil society. The rights of all citizens must be respected without the threat of govemment reprisal. We look torward to seeing progress on this criticaly important issue.”