The International Press Centre, IPC, has called for the immediate investigation and prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, officials who stormed Urban Radio Station (94.5FM) in Enugu on the evening of Monday, October 14, 2024.
The demand which came on Tuesday via a statement, was made through its Safety and Protection of Journalists, SPJ, hub. Signed by the IPC Executive Director, the group described the incident as “a despicable assault on the media and a blatant abuse of power.”
“The recent spate of attacks on journalists suggests that the EFCC and other security agencies have resorted to extra-judicial, jungle tactics to address whatever grievances they may have.” Said the statement.
He said, “the officials overpowered the staff of the station who they alleged intimidated with arms, forced them to sit on the bare floor, took their phones, and went straight into the live studio of the station and whisked away the anchor of the interactive programme, Prime Time, that was going on live at the time of the invasion.”
They called on the EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoye, to launch a thorough investigation into the invasion and to ensure that the officers involved are prosecuted and held accountable for their unprofessional conduct. The group who stressed that the incident should serve as a warning to other officers, urged the EFCC to provide additional training for its personnel on the constitutional boundaries of their authority.
They also condemned a recent attack on journalists in Bayelsa State, which according to them, occurred during a press briefing organized by the Sagbama Local Government Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Yenagoa.
In the attack, thugs were reported to have attacked the venue, leaving several journalists injured. IPC reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for the protection of journalists and holding those responsible for attacks on the press accountable.
