A group, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), has dragged the Federal Government before the ECOWAS Court sitting in Abuja to demand N10 million as compensation to be paid to each family of 11 journalists slain between 1998 and 2019.
The rights group filed the suit through its counsel, Mr Darlington Onyekwere.
MRA is asking the court to compel FG to compensate the families of the victims having failed in its obligation under various domestic, regional and international instruments to effectively investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of the killings.
The group said that the court’s intervention would compel FG to investigate the killings and adopt measures to secure the lives of journalists going about their legitimate duties.
Some of the deceased journalists named in the suit were Tunde Oladepo, Bureau Chief of The Guardian newspaper killed by gunmen on February 26, 1998; Kezie Amauben, Publisher of Newsservice Magazine shot by a policeman on September 2, 1998; Fidelis Ikwuebe, Freelance journalist for The Guardian newspaper killed on April 18, 1999; Sam Nimfa-Jan, Journalist with Details Magazine killed on May 27, 1999.
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Others were Samson Boyi, Photojournalist with The Scope killed by armed men on November 5, 1999; Bayo Ohu, Assistant News Editor with The Guardian newspaper killed on September 20, 2009; Nathan Dabak, Deputy Editor, and Sunday Gyang Bwede, Reporter, both with the Light Bearer killed on April 24, 2010.
The list also included Zakariya Isa, NTA Reporter and Cameraman killed on October 22, 2011; Enenche Akogwu, Reporter and Camera operator with Channels Television killed on January 20, 2012; and Precious Owolabi, Corps member serving with Channels TV killed on July 22, 2019.
MRA is seeking, among others, a declaration that the killing of the 11 journalists is a violation of their fundamental rights to life and freedom of expression and the press.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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