Former secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kwara State chapter, Barrister Taofiq Olateju, has charged the Nigerian Police Force to desist from intimidating journalists while executing their duties.
The advocate made this call during a capacity building training organised by the Association of Kwara Online Media Practitioners, ASKOMP, for its members in Ilorin on Wednesday.
He furthered that the force is in the habit of harrasing media practitioners upon receipt of ex-parte order, especially when it comes to defamation of character.
Olateju lamented that the force is arbitrarily exploring ex-parte injunction to criminalise freedom of speech as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution as amended.
The legal practitioner noted that individuals or corparate bodies that felt subjected to defamation should resort to legal action rather than petitioning the police or security agencies to muzzle his accusers.
According to him, “If someone feels aggrieved by a slanderous or libelous publication, they should approach a civil court or high court with the jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter instead of petitioning the police or security agencies to silence the person.
“There is no need for additional laws to criminalize freedom of expression. Defamation, injurious falsehood, and criminal defamation are clearly defined in our constitution. Journalists doing their work legitimately should be protected,” he said.
In her comment, the spokesperson of Kwara State Police Command, DSP Ejire Adetoun-Adeyemi, lauded ASKOMP for organizing the training for its members and thereby urged the populace to always confide in the force regarding happenings around their environments for better policing.
