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Terrorism reporting: You have 48 hours to withdraw threat to sanction BBC, Daily Trust – SERAP to Buhari
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “urgently instruct Mr Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture to withdraw the threat to sanction the BBC and Daily Trust over their documentaries on terrorism in the country, whether through the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) or any other agency of government.”
According to reports, Mr Mohammed had last Thursday stated that the Federal Government would sanction the BBC and Trust Tv for airing documentaries that allegedly “glorify”, “promote”, and “fuel” terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
In a letter dated 30 July, 2022 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said, “The media has the duty to impart information and ideas on issues of public importance. If carried out, the threat to sanction the BBC and Daily Trust would inhibit the media from reporting on issues of public interest.”
According to SERAP, “Media houses and journalists ought to be given the room to determine how best to present information of public interest, especially information about the growing violence and killings across the country.”
The organization said, “Rather than punishing the media for promoting access to diverse opinions and information on issues of public importance, your government should focus on delivering your promises to ensure the security of Nigerians.”
The organization also said, “Carrying out the threat to sanction the BBC and Daily Trust would lessen the flow of diverse viewpoints and information to the public.”
The letter, read in part: “We would be grateful if the requested action is taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions in the public interest.”
“A free, uncensored, and unhindered press or other media is essential in any society to ensure freedom of opinion and expression and the enjoyment of other rights. It constitutes one of the cornerstones of a democratic society.”
“Sanctioning the BBC and Daily Trust would be entirely inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria’s obligations under article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
“The threat if carried out would impermissibly restrict the constitutional and international rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and victims’ right to justice and effective remedies that are central to public debate and accountability in a democratic society.”
“Access to information is essential for the enjoyment of other human rights and freedoms and constitutes a fundamental pillar for building a democratic society and strengthening democracy.”
“Allowing the media to freely carry out their duties is essential to building secure society and leaving no one behind. Conversely, imposing impermissible restrictions on media houses, journalists and other Nigerians undermines the security that builds a healthy and vibrant society.”
“The grounds for sanctioning the BBC and Daily Trust as stated by Mr Mohammed fail to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.”
“The requirement of necessity also implies an assessment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of ‘glorifying, promoting, and fuelling terrorism and banditry’ are not used as a pretext to unduly intrude upon the rights to freedom of expression and access to information.”
“Any interference with the constitutional and legal duties of the BBC and Daily Trust would not be justified in the context of the right to information.”
“The Federal Government has not shown that the documentaries by the media houses would impose a specific risk of harm to a legitimate State interest that outweighs the public’s interest in the information provided by the documentaries.”
“The documentaries by the BBC and Daily pose no risk to any definite interest in national security or public order.”
“It is inconsistent and compatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] to invoke the grounds of ‘glorifying, promoting, and fuelling terrorism and banditry’ as justifications for suppressing freedom of expression or withholding from the public information of legitimate public interest that does not harm national security.”
“It is contrary to both the Nigerian Constitution and international standards to threaten or punish journalists and media houses such as the BBC and Daily Trust for disseminating such information.”
“The vague and overbroad definitions of ‘glorifying’, ‘promoting’, and ‘fuelling’ raise concerns that the threat by the Federal Government if carried out would unduly interfere with the rights to access to information, and disproportionate to any purported legitimate governmental aim. Ill-defined and/or overly broad grounds are open to arbitrary application and abuse.”
“The broad definitions of what may constitute ‘glorifying’, ‘promoting’, and ‘fuelling’ also heighten concerns of overreach, confer far-reaching discretion on the government, and suggest that the grounds cited by the Federal Government are more intrusive than necessary.”
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“These words do not indicate precisely what kind of individual conduct would fall within their ambit.”
“The use of these words by the Federal Government, given their opaque and ambiguous meaning, leaves open the possibility for application beyond unequivocal incitement to hatred, hostility, or violence. Such words may function to interpret legitimate reporting by media houses, journalists, and other Nigerians as unlawful.”
“The grounds cited by the Federal Government for sanctioning the BBC and Daily Trust also fail to establish a direct and immediate connection between the reporting by the media houses and any risks to national security and peace.”
“The threat if carried out would also create an environment that unduly deters and penalizes media houses and journalists, and the reporting of government wrongdoing more generally.”
“The cumulative effect of any attempt to sanction the BBC and Daily Trust would be the gagging of the media from reporting on cases of violence and killings by terrorists and kidnappers, the reporting and information that is clearly in the public interest.”
“SERAP recalls that in your 2022 new year message, you raised concerns about persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country and promised to remain ‘resolute in giving utmost attention to the problem.’”
“While your government has the obligation to maintain national security, this obligation is not set apart from the obligation to protect and ensure human rights. National security is a necessary and integral part of the right to security guaranteed to each person individually.”
Alike Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and Chairman of the Dangote Group, has disclosed that Nigeria will cease gasoline imports next month due to the strategic initiatives of the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Dangote expressed optimism about revolutionizing Africa’s energy landscape.
Dangote emphasized the refinery’s capability to meet not only Nigeria’s gasoline demands but also those of West Africa for petrol and diesel, along with the continent’s aviation fuel requirements.
He said, “Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of a litre.”
Additionally, Dangote outlined the progress made by the oil company to ensure that Africa achieves self-sufficiency in the energy sector.
He said, “We have enough gasoline to give to at least the entire West Africa, diesel to give to West Africa and Central Africa. We have enough aviation fuel to give to the entire continent and also export some to Brazil and Mexico.
“Today, our polypropylene and our polyethene will meet the entire demand of Africa and we are doing base oil, which is like engine oil, we are doing linear benzyl, which is raw material to produce detergent. We have 1.4 billion people in the population, nobody is producing that in Africa.
“So, all the raw materials for our detergents are imported. We are producing that raw material to make Africa self-sufficient. As I said, give us three or a maximum of four years and Africa will not, I repeat, not import any more fertilizer from anywhere.
“We will make Africa self-sufficient in potash, phosphate, and urea, we are at three million tonnes and in the next twenty months, we will be at six million tonnes of urea which is the entire capacity of Egypt. We are getting there.”
Dangote further elaborated on the achievements of the company since the commissioning of the refinery in February.
“For some of us, despite the boom of the capital market of the US, you know, Google, Microsoft and the rest, we didn’t participate, we took all our money and invested in Africa.
“We had this dream, just about five years ago and we said we want to move from five billion (dollars) revenue to thirty billion revenue and we made it happen. It is possible and now we have made it happen and now we have finished our refinery.
“Our refinery is quite big, it is something that we believe that Africa needs. If you look at the whole continent, there are only two countries that don’t import petroleum products which is a tragedy. They are only Algeria and Libya. The rest are all importers.
“So, we need to change and make sure that we don’t just go and produce raw materials, we should also produce finished products and create jobs.
“One of the things we also need to know as Africans is that we produce raw materials and export them when you export raw materials and somebody now keeps importing things into your continent and dumping goods. what you are importing is poverty and exporting jobs. So, we have to change that narrative.
“We just commissioned in February and now we are producing jet fuel, we are producing diesel and by next month, we will be producing gasoline.
“What that would do is that we would be taking most of the African crude that is being produced and also be able to supply not only Nigeria, because our capacity is too big for Nigeria, but it would also supply West Africa, Central Africa and also South Africa.
“We have 650,000 barrels per day, 1 million tonnes of polypropylene, we have 590,000 carbon black, that is the raw materials ink, dyes and co. We are expanding more. This is the first phase and we are going out to the next phase which will start early next year,” he said.
The Ulama Forum in Nigeria, representing Islamic clerics, and the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) have voiced their disapproval of Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye’s decision to challenge a proposed mass wedding for orphaned girls in Niger State through legal means.
Both groups have thrown their support behind Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, who initiated the idea of conducting a mass wedding for girls who lost their parents to bandit attacks in the state.
In a statement issued jointly from Kano and signed by the forum’s Convener, Aminu Inuwa Muhammad, and Secretary, Engineer Bashir Adamu Aliyu, the Ulama Forum affirmed its backing of the planned weddings for victims of banditry and kidnapping in Niger State.
The forum criticized the minister for what they perceive as her attempt to garner media attention with what they described as “her Islamophobic rhetoric,” alleging that her actions demonstrate a lack of respect for Sharia law.
The forum characterized the minister’s actions as selective, amateurish, and tribalistic, asserting that the 1999 Constitution upholds religious freedom and acknowledges Sharia provisions allowing the marriage of the prospective brides.
Furthermore, they highlighted that, as a lawyer, the minister should be aware that the Child Rights Act does not extend beyond the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The forum cautioned the administration of President Bola Tinubu to be cautious of “such public officers and institutions that will set it against the people.”
Likewise, MULAN has declared its intent to confront the minister in a rigorous legal confrontation regarding her efforts to halt the mass wedding of 100 orphans.
In a statement endorsed by its President, Barrister Saeed Muhammad Tudun-Wada, MULAN asserted that the proposed wedding adhered to the principles and regulations of both Islamic and Nigerian laws, while criticizing the minister for her alleged lack of understanding.
“We understand that the proposed mass wedding scheduled for May 24, 2024, has been subjected to a needless controversy arising from the recent intrusion of the minister,” MULAN said.
“Incidentally, we understand that Mrs Ohanenye has instituted legal action to stop the noble course and further petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokum, against the move of Niger State Speaker Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji to sponsor the marriage of 100 girls.
“In the light of this, the Muslim lawyers have resolved to meet the minister at the court of competent jurisdiction. Already, we have assembled not less than five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and 27 other members of the association to join in challenging the minister.
“MULAN regretted that the minister had decided to venture into a matter she lacked the right and competence to delve into. By so doing, she has overstretched her limit by interfering with the private and personal interests of the Niger girls. We are prepared to join issues with her.
“For the purpose of emphasis, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is generous enough to allow every Nigerian to conduct marriage with whomever he or she so wishes, so long such an act did not violate any provision of the constitution.
“MULAN is fully behind the proposed mass wedding and the genuine interest of the Speaker to ease the burden of the marriage is well in line with Islamic principles.”
The Minister of Women Affairs on Friday, addressed her legal action against Speaker Sarkindaji, citing his proposal to marry off 100 orphans from his constituency.
During an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the minister emphasized her adherence to the constitution in her duties, stating: “When I’m doing my work, I focus on the constitution. What I stood for was the fundamental human rights of the children. I want an investigation carried out. Religion is not part of the work I am doing.”
She also mentioned collaborating with the Speaker and other stakeholders to empower the girls instead of arranging marriages for them.
She said “When I met with the speaker recently, he said to me that he never thought about it in the manner I was thinking about it, that he thought he was helping.
“But now that I have brought this up, we have partnered together to look into how we empower these children, take them to school, open businesses for them and make their lives better. He said he will partner with me.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the appointment of 555 individuals to serve as chairpersons and members of the governing councils for tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
This significant move aims to enhance the governance and oversight of the country’s higher education sector.
The inauguration and orientation retreat for the newly appointed council members is scheduled for Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, 2024.
In a related development, the government has successfully resolved the potential strike threat from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
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