Edo NUJ Chairman advocates protection for journalists

Comrade Festus Alenkhe, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State council, has reiterated the importance of providing journalists with adequate protection while discharging their social responsibility to the society.
He made this call while addressing journalists and students of Royal House British International Schools Nigeria in Benin City, to mark this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and Media Workers.
Comrade Festus Alenkhe emphasized that journalists must be allowed to carry out their work without any hindrance, and ending impunity for crimes against them is crucial to guaranteeing freedom of expression and access to information for all citizens.
He highlighted that ending impunity for crimes against journalists is one of the most important and complex challenges of recent times, and it is an essential precondition to guaranteeing freedom of expression and access to information for all citizens.
The NUJ Chairman noted that the observance of the day seeks to raise awareness of the main challenges faced by journalists and communicators in the exercise of their profession.
He warned of the escalation of violence and repression against journalists and media workers, including attacks and restrictions on the press in the context of coverage of social protests, the use of judicial mechanisms against journalists for reasons related to their journalistic work on matters of public interest, and the increase in forced exile of journalists in some countries.
Comrade Festus Alenkhe assured members of the public that journalists in the State would continue to report the truth, regardless of frontiers. He called on the judiciary to always give legal protection to journalists whenever the ball stops at their court.
Also speaking, the leader of the team of Royal House British International School, Reverend Sam Raphael, expressed his appreciation for the NUJ boss’s dedication to fighting crime and corruption through his “Crime Watch” program on Edo Broadcasting Service.
He also stated that journalism is a profession that holds the political class accountable to the people.
Some students of the school called for the full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, which would allow journalists to get access to top secret information for the benefit of the people.
Finally, the high point of the event was the presentation of an award of excellence to the Chairman of NUJ, Edo State Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, for his significant contributions to the society through crime reportage.