Journalists covering Saturday’s Osun State governorship election have been urged to remain vigilant and prioritise their safety as they carry out their duties.
The call was made by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, which appealed to political parties, security agencies, electoral officials and other stakeholders to ensure a safe working environment for members of the press.
In a statement signed by the council’s Chairman, Adeyemi Aboderin, and Secretary, Olalekan Akindoju, the union condemned any form of intimidation, harassment, assault, arrest or obstruction targeting journalists during the election.
The council also advised journalists to avoid unnecessary confrontations and report incidents that threaten their safety or hinder their professional duties.
It encouraged media practitioners to use the WaFlo WhatsApp-enabled live election incident reporting platform deployed by the International Press Centre to document cases of threats, attacks, harassment, detention, equipment seizure and denial of access.
The NUJ further called on security agencies to recognise journalists as key participants in the democratic process and provide adequate protection at polling units, collation centres and other election venues.
While urging journalists to maintain professionalism, accuracy and impartiality, the council appealed to all stakeholders to support a peaceful electoral process that allows voters to exercise their rights and journalists to report freely and safely.
