2016 World’s Press Freedom Day

The World’s Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe every May 3, representing an opportunity to advance the fundamental principles of press freedom and to pay solemn tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2016, World’s Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones: The 250th anniversary […]

The World’s Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe every May 3, representing an opportunity to advance the fundamental principles of press freedom and to pay solemn tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2016, World’s Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones: The 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland. It marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles and also the first year of the 15 year life-cycle of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Against this background, this year’s World’s Press Freedom Day highlights the links between press freedom, a culture of openness and the right to freedom of information, and sustainable development in the digital age. The common thread in all these is the role of journalism, and the importance of safeguarding those who bring this service to the public.
Across the world, this year’s event examined the issue from three different perspectives, namely, freedom of information as a fundamental freedom and as a human right; protecting press freedom from censorship and surveillance overreach; and ensuring safety for journalism online and offline. 
Today, freedom of speech is under a constant threat. Globally, journalists often risk their lives to significant peril to give voice to the voiceless, to tell their stories unreservedly. Here in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari claimed in a speech that Nigerian journalists were no longer being harassed or detained under his government.
At the opening of the Congress of the Federation of African Journalists in Abuja to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day, Buhari speaking through his Information and Culture Minister, Mr. Lai Mohammed reportedly stated that his administration “has never even contemplated the harassing, not to mention killing, of any journalist…I can report to this congress that not a single journalist is being detained or harassed in Nigeria today. This government is not a threat to the media, and it is not about to stifle press freedom or deny anyone his or her constitutionally guaranteed rights.”
Though we concur with the president that there is marked improvement in the observation of press freedom since he assumed office barely a year ago, there had, however, been few reported cases of unlawful detentions, harassments and molestation of journalists. 
In June last year, police officers in Abuja attacked Muhammad Atta-Kafin-Dangi, a journalist with Radio Nigeria, for attempting to cover a protest staged by commercial motorcyclists, whereas, the publisher of Prime Magazine, Yomi Olomofe, was severely beaten inside the Nigerian Customs Service offices in Badagry. He was reportedly investigating reports that customs officials on the Nigeria-Benin border were assisting smugglers when more than 15 men attacked him and another journalist in front of senior officials, who did not intervene. Mr. Olomofe was beaten until he lost consciousness.
In November, officers of the Nigerian Prisons Service and other people reportedly beat Vanguard newspaper journalist Emmanuel Elebeke at the high court in Abuja after he took pictures of three murder accused. And in February this year, officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps attacked and arrested three journalists in Owerri, Imo state.
Of course, this is a sobering reminder of just how little press freedom exists in Nigeria and many parts of the world. Today, more than ever before, the need is for truthfulness, fairness, accuracy and objectivity on the part of journalists. To achieve this, there is need for improved education for media practitioners on professional ethics. Proprietors of media organisations should set high ethical standards and advise journalists to abide by them. They should also ensure physical and psychological well-being of working journalists and make sure salaries are paid as and when due.
But fundamentally, the press must be free to perform its functions in the society. Thus, governments must respect their commitment to press freedom and invariably shun interference and media harassment.