CPJ, CISLAC Fault Conviction Of Journalists Over Report On Drug Abuse

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) have faulted the conviction of Nigerian journalists, Gidado Yushau and Alfred Olufemi, over a report on drug abuse.

Gidado, Editor of News Digest and Convener of Campus Journalism Awards (CJA), and Alfred, a freelance reporter who worked with Premium Times and Punch Newspaper, were arrested and charged in 2019.

The prosecution followed an investigative report published in 2018, alleging Indian-hemp smoking by staff at Hillcrest Agro-allied company, a rice factory in Kwara State.

In February, a Magistrate in Ilorin, Adams Salihu Mohammed ordered the journalists to be jailed for five months or pay N100,000 each for defamation and conspiracy, which they paid.

But their counsel, Barrister Ahmed Ibraheem Gambari said there was evidence before the court that the police report which purportedly indicted the duo came into existence even before they were invited.

“Also, an ex-employee of the company testified before the court that he was not only a witness to how smoking of Indian hemp pervaded the site, but it was the persistent smoking that informed his decision to sever his employment.

“In order to establish the verisimilitude of his assertion, the witness tendered his bank statement evidencing the receipt of his monthly salaries during the period smoking was prevalent. It, therefore, remains a conundrum of how the court found them guilty in the face of this empirical evidence, among others.

“We believe justice will be achieved at appeal so that patriotic youthful elements in society like our clients will not be discouraged from embarking on their respective altruistic endeavours,” Gambari added.

In its reaction, the CPJ described the conviction as “a chilling message to the Nigerian press and highlights the urgent need for authorities to reform the country’s laws and ensure journalism is not criminalized”.

Africa program coordinator in New York, Angela Quintal noted that the duo should never have been charged, let alone convicted, for publishing an investigative report about a factory.

“The telecom surveillance used to bring the journalists into custody, followed by a more than three-year-long trial, demonstrates the lengths Nigerian authorities will go to arrest and prosecute the press,” Quintal said.

Reacting, CISLAC Executive Director and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani described the conviction as an inglorious attempt to muzzle the press and investigative journalism.

“It is saddening that despite the testimony of an ex-employee indicting the company and a lot of infractions by the police, the Magistrate still convicted the duo of criminal conspiracy and defamation. We demand that an urgent step be taken to reform the laws and ensure journalism is not criminalised.

“International human rights courts and UN bodies have repeatedly ruled against criminal sanctions for defamation. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money when public funds are used in prosecuting cases of personal interests such as this.

“Press freedom has continually waned under President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigeria dropped to 129 from 120 in the 2022 ranking of press freedom across 180 countries. We implore the President to do our justice system the honour to champion the necessary reforms,” Rafsanjani urged.

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Multiple brands of foreign rice from countries including Thailand and India have returned to markets in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina States.

Agricultural experts, rice dealers and farmers say the development has greatly affected local production, while lamenting the porous borders.

The Federal Government of Nigeria had in August 2019 directed the closure of all land borders to stop the importation of rice.

On December 16, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the reopening of four: Seme in Lagos, Illela in Sokoto, Maigatari in Jigawa, and Mfum in Cross River.

In April 2022, Buhari, through the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), approved the reopening of four more: Idiroko in Ogun, Jibiya in Katsina, Kamba in Kebbi and Ikom in Cross River.

However, a new report by Economic Confidential, titled “How illicit rice importation threatens FG’s agricultural sector interventions”, shows foreign rice is back in circulation.

It was supported by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

The report said on demand, foreign rice is presented to intending buyers at Singer and Kura Rice Market in Kano, Central Market in Katsina, and Ultra Modern Market in Jigawa.

Local rice sighted were Umza, Al-hamsad rice, Gerawa rice, Labana Rice, Mighty Pure Rice, Tiamin, Fursa and Tomato King. Thailand rice is sold between N34,000 to N37,000.

In the Southern part of the country, it was found that the market price for illegally imported rice is cheaper than the locally-produced ones.

A processor in Lagos, Chief Kingsley Muoneke, hinted foreign rice is less costly because smugglers don’t pay levies or taxes to the government.

Kingsley said the cost varies and is pegged according to the proximity of the markets to borders through which the staple food is smuggled.

“At the warehouse, rice trades between N27,000-N28,000. But when moved from Alaba Rago, Sango Otta or Ijebu Ode, they add N1000-N1500 depending on transportation and security personnel they settle before reaching the market.”

The dealer added that smuggled rice is mostly sold between N30,000-N31,500, while those produced in the country goes for about N33,000.

Mr. Kingsley further revealed how made-in-Nigeria rice is sometimes cloned through repackaging and sold to consumers as foreign .

“The only way to get out of this is for the Nigeria Customs Service to step up and do their job diligently,” he charged the government.