07 May 2012
Members of NPAN visit the bombed This Day Office in Abuja
By Omololu Ogunmade
The Nigerian media can neither be intimidated nor cowed in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has said.
Rising from an emergency Executive Committee meeting in Abuja at the weekend following the attacks on some media houses, the association in a press statement by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Feyi Smith, condemned the “attacks claimed by a group often referred to as Boko Haram and its threat of more attacks on the media”.
He said: “The NPAN views the attacks and the threats of more attacks as an assault on the freedom of expression and free speech and resolves that the press will not be intimidated or cowed in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility.”
The association revealed that in the light of the deteriorating security situation in the country, it had “resolved to engage with the leadership of the security agencies to find solutions and to explore new ideas for resolving the challenges of security facing all of us”.
Smith said the meeting, which was called to deliberate on the bombing of THISDAY, Sun and The Moment newspapers on Thursday, April 26, and the threat to other media houses, expressed solidarity with the affected media houses and extended “it’s most profound condolences to the families of the victims”.
Smith said: “NPAN is seriously concerned about the worsening state of insecurity in the country and urges the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take every necessary action to give meaning and expression to its basic constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property
“The media and all well-meaning Nigerians should continue to do all they can to pull the nation back from the brink by promoting national healing, understanding, accountability and justice.”
The organisation said it was buoyed by the solidarity of Nigerians, adding that: “we thank the people of Nigeria and the international community for their solidarity, support and fortitude.”
SOURCE: ThisDay, 7 May 2012. http://www.thisdaylive.com/
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