B y Angela Atabo
Abuja – A coalition of 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Thursday in Abuja expressed concern over the rising cases of attack on press freedom in the country.
Convener of the group, Civil Society Concerns, Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, expressed the concern on behalf of the coalition in a news conference in Abuja.
Rafsanjani said the press was being denied freedom as observed in the recent arrest and detention of journalists.
According to him, journalists have been arrested and detained for performing their legitimate duties.
“As civil society activists, we are concerned with the rising cases of attack on press freedom as observed in the recent arrest and detention of journalists.
“This undermines the cardinal principle of press freedom in a democratic system of government.
“We call on the Presidency to call security agencies to order and put a definite end to constitutional breaches and violations of human rights by security agencies that have been acting with impunity.
“Our greatest concern is also the continuous emasculation, harassment and intimidation of the institutions of the legislature by the security agencies.’’
Rafsanjani also said the group was delighted with the prompt action taken by the Presidency to restore sanity and constitutional order by curbing the excesses of personnel of Department of State Security (DSS).
He said the DSS had engaged in the abuse of power in relation to the key democratic institution, adding that the agency’s recent invasion of the National Assembly was an affront on civil rule.
Meanwhile, he said that the absence of the board of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) made it difficult for the commission to perform its functions effectively.
Rafsanjani said that the Presidential Panel on Violation of Human Rights by the Military had drawn attention to this problem in its findings, adding that the government must take steps to constitute the board.
He also said that the massive violation of citizens’ rights by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police had become an issue of public concern and agitation.
He said that the NHRC which had statutory responsibilities to monitor the abuses was crippled by lack of a board.
(NAN)