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| Closure of Channels TV is crude, undemocratic - AC |
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| Wednesday, 17 September 2008 | ||||||
     In a statement issued in Abuja Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said a government that prides itself as an adherent to the rule of law and due process should not condone a Gestapo-style invasion of a media outlet by security agencies. "We had hoped and prayed that we will never see this type of action again, especially under a democratic system that we are running now. But here we are, witnessing another throwback to the better forgotten days of incessant media harassment and intimidation under military rule," the party said. AC therefore called for an immediate lifting of the siege on the TV station, release of all those arrested and an unreserved apology tendered to the station by the government for the crude behaviour of the SSS agents who invaded its premises. The party said Channel was not without blame, noting that the station could have double-checked the story with the presidency or even the News Agency of Nigeria, to which it was credited, before airing it. "Even that did not warrant the kind of treatment meted out to the station. The best thing would have been for the regulatory National Broadcasting Commission to determine if the station had breached any of its codes and to sanction it accordingly," it said. AC added: "We must also not forget this: Against the background of our leaders’ penchant for giving preference to foreign news organisations over the local ones, it is also possible that the fact that the French news agency, AFP, carried the story helped convince Channels news managers of its authenticity. The party said instead of harassing journalists and shutting media organisations, the SSS should investigate the source of the story, which the News Agency of Nigeria has disclaimed even though it was attributed to the agency. "The presidency has denied that the President plans to resign, and NAN has denied ever carrying such a story. We believe them. Now, the next step is for security and intelligence agencies to get to the root of the matter by investigating the source. "This is important to prevent a recurrence. After all, we learnt that this is not the first time such a hoax story on President Yar’Adua has been credited to NAN. If the security and intelligence agencies have done their jobs the first time around, this would not have happened. "Also, it might be necessary to strengthen NAN’s technological base so that hackers and mischief makers will not find it easy to carry out their nefarious activities in the name of the agency. News agencies are too powerful to be left to run on outdated technology," AC said It recalled that when the late President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia was first reported to have died in a Paris hospital - even when he was still alive - no media organisation was closed for that reason. "Nigeria should emulate the way such issues are handled in other countries. Jackboot approach, harassment of journalists and shutting of media outlets can only point to one thing: security and intelligence agencies that are inept and will do anything to cover up their own inadequacies," AC said.  Quote this article on your site | Views: 207 | Print | E-mail
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