The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has declared the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olukayode Egbetokun, the governors of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago and Akwa Ibom State, Imo Eno as “enemies” of media practitioners in the country.
The body, which listed the three leaders in its Book of Infamy, however honouring the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi as a “friend.”
The Book of Infamy was unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday, December 2, at the Second Conference and Annual General Meeting of IPI Nigeria, held in Abuja, the nation’s federal capital.
While Egbetokun was said to have failed to heed the calls by IPI to stop the arbitrary arrests of journalists nationwide by his operatives, Eno was reported to have barred the crew of Channels TV from covering the activities of the Akwa Ibom State Government House.
Governor Bago merited the infamy tag for ordering the closure of Badeggi FM, which is a private radio station.
It was revealed that despite the appeal by IPI Nigeria for reconsideration of their decisions, which they had no powers to, both Bago and Eno refused to back down.
For the DG of the DSS, he was described as a listening head of a sensitive government agency who has listened to interventions by the IPI and corrected wrongdoings to which his attention was drawn.
IPI gave an example of the removal from the government’s watchlist, of the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade, after 40 years.
Ajayi was also credited with the quick release of journalists wrongly arrested by his men and officers without much push.
Responding to the position of the IPI Nigeria, as presented by its President, Musikilu Mojeed, during the unveiling of the Book of Infamy, Vice President Shettima to intervene by reaching out to the three declared “enemies” of the press.
He invited Mojeed to travel with him to Akwa Ibom State to resolve the issue with Governor Eno on the issue of Channels TV.
He also promised to reach out to Governor Bago and IGP Egbetokun.
