ABEOKUTA, Nigeria — The Freelance and Independent Broadcasters’ Association of Nigeria (FIBAN), Ogun State Chapter, has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of private security guards who allegedly assaulted three journalists during a government enforcement exercise in Igbesa.
The affected media practitioners—Mr. Taiwo Fabajo of Ogun State Television (OGTV), Mr. Bidemi Bello of Channels Television, and independent journalist Mr. Gbenga Osinuga—were reportedly harassed and physically assaulted while covering the official exercise in the Ogun Guandong area. The attackers were identified as private security operatives attached to a Chinese company operating in the zone.
In a press statement issued by the Ogun FIBAN Chairman, Chief Olalekan Shoyinka (Ayinla Egba), the association strongly condemned the incident, describing it as an unlawful restriction of press freedom and a direct violation of the constitutional rights of media practitioners.
“It is particularly disturbing that private security personnel, who have neither the authority nor legal mandate to obstruct journalists in the discharge of their duties, allegedly took the law into their own hands,” Shoyinka stated. He emphasized that the journalists were carrying out legitimate duties to document a public government function.
FIBAN has formally aligned with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, to call on the Nigeria Police Force and relevant security agencies to launch a thorough and transparent investigation. The association insists that all individuals involved must face prosecution, regardless of their institutional affiliation.
Additionally, the broadcasting body called on the management of the Chinese firm to cooperate fully with law enforcement investigators and publicly distance itself from the conduct of its security personnel, warning that failure to act would amount to corporate complicity.
