The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today strongly condemned  the brutal murder of Nigerian journalist, Zakariyya Isa, a reporter with the state-run Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

According to the information received by FAJ, Zakariyya Isa, was shot dead on Saturday, 22 October, around 7:30 pm in front of his house in Bulunkutu area of the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri.  Gunmen associated with the radical Boko Haram sect are suspected to be behind the murder of the television journalist.

"We express our solidarity with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at this sad moment when they mourn the death of a fellow journalist," said Omar Faruk Osman, FAJ President. "We send our heart-felt condolences to the NUJ, and through the union, to the family of the murdered journalist."

The FAJ said that journalists are increasingly being targeted by violent groups in Nigeria and warned that the appalling murder of Isa is unlikely to be the last if no concrete measures are put in place to provide media with adequate protection.

Maiduguri has been hit by a string of deadly bomb and gun attacks attributed to Boko Haram. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the killing, Boko Haram threatened in a statement in Maiduguri that was issued in September to attack media organizations, particularly some foreign media, over what it described as misrepresentation of its activities in the country.

For more information contact the FAJ at   +221 33 867 95 86/87

The FAJ represents over 50,000 journalists in 40 countries in Africa