The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African regional organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today denounced the prevailing climate of insecurity in Nigeria which led to the murders of three newspapers journalists during sectarian violence which has gripped Africa’s most heavily populated nation.

According to the FAJ affiliate, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo Ugbagwu, 42, a court reporter who worked for the daily newspaper, The Nation, was shot and killed in his home in Lagos on Saturday, 24 April 2010. On the same day, Nathan S. Dabak, 36, and Sunday Gyang Bwede, 39, respectively deputy editor and reporter of a Christian publication The Light Bearer newspaper were stabbed to death as they were on their way to an assignment in the central Nigerian city of Jos. 

“We are shocked by these senseless murders and the entire African journalists movement is deeply concerned by the levels of insecurity in which violent deaths can claim the lives of three colleagues in one day,” said Omar Faruk Osman, FAJ President. 

FAJ is calling on the Nigerian government to fulfil its constitutional obligation to protect journalists and on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate these appalling crimes against Nigerian journalists and bring to justice those responsible at every level to face the full force of the law.

“We demand the Nigerian government and law enforcement bodies to smash the string of impunity surrounding the murders of journalists in Nigeria,” added Omar.

The NUJ also strongly condemned the killings and decided to set up an independent panel to investigate these murders of journalists. The union pressed the media owners to provide comprehensive insurance for journalists in their employment.

FAJ says sectarian violence and organised crime have targeted journalists, including through murders, in Nigeria over many years, but these killings remain unresolved, leaving the perpetrators to enjoy compete impunity.

“This intolerable violence is making it impossible for journalists to provide accurate information to the public in Nigeria,” Omar said. “Impunity, corruption and religious violence fuel these heinous crimes,” he added.

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The FAJ represents over 50,000 journalists in 39 in Africa