World Press Day: 4 journalists bag investigative journalism award in Kaduna
World Press Day: 4 journalists bag investigative journalism award in Kaduna
//Godwin Ekosin, Kaduna//
As the world celebrates world Press Day, four Kaduna-based journalists have bagged investigative journalism award called Courage in Journalism Award.
The awardees are Bashir Bello of Nigerian Pilot Newspaper, Ibrahim Yakubu of Deutsche Welle, Mohammed Ibrahim of People’s Daily Newspaper and Christianah Alabi of Trust Newspaper.
The award given, which was one of highlights to commemorate the day at a media clinic, organized by Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), was aimed at encouraging digging deeper journalism on Africa continent.
In an address, AMDF Coordinator, Sekyen Dadik, said there is the urgent need to promote the safety of journalists and end impunity, “let those who kill, harass or detain journalists be brought to face the law and be punished accordingly.”
She quickly added that impunity remains one of the core problems in efforts to end attacks against journalists in this part of the world.
She said Statistics from Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), reveals that 1,189 journalists have been killed from 1992 till date with 19 cases recorded in Nigeria.
“96 per cent of these figures are men while 4 percent are women. Nevertheless women journalists face specific risks in their work including sexual attacks and harassment which is not reflected in the statistics of fatal attacks.
“In the face of all these threats, impunity remains the predominant trend, with perpetrators of killings or attacks against journalists rarely being brought to justice.
“It was against this backdrop that the Africa Media Development Foundation decided to commemorate this year’s World Press Day by identifying with the plight of journalists.
“Journalists are being harassed by the political circle, killed or abducted by terrorists, and more often than not ill-treated by overzealous security operatives who are meant to be the journalist’s safe haven when threatened.
“The ‘Media Clinic’ is a platform that seeks to address issues that concern the media and its social responsibility to the society. This year, AMDF deemed it fit to use this platform to join the media all over the world to celebrate the World Press Freedom Day as we bring up burning issues around safety of journalist in Nigeria and beyond,” Sekyen said.
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