Journalism is under a serious threat in Nigeria. After last
week’s attack on one of the most important newspapers in the country, ThisDay, perhaps the most supportive of
the government’s line, the leader of
the Islamic radical group Boko Haram has named several media houses and their
staff as targets for their future attacks. At least seven people were killed
last week in the attacks at ThisDay’s
offices in the capital of Abuja and the city of Kaduna. In a video recently
released, Boko Haram explained their specific reasons behind these attacks:
“We wish to explain
about the attack we carried out on ThisDay Newspapers. Some of the reasons why
we decided to attack some Media Houses, especially ThisDay, is because the
paper was used in dishonouring our prophet, Mohammad (SAW) during a beauty
pageant in Kaduna in November 2000”.
The bad coverage of the group’s activities and any perceived
offences committed against Islam seem to be the major reasons for their
attacks. Other media houses likely to be targeted by this group include the
Guardian Newspaper, Daily Sun, VOA Hausa Radio and Radio France, among others. They
have also been divided into categories, from most likely to be attacked in the
nearby future to those which can become potential targets if they carry on their
perceived insults to Islam. The influential ThisDay
was the first on a list that seems to get longer and longer by the day. Boko
Haram, whose name in Husa language means ‘Western Education is forbidden’, seeks
to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state based on Sharia law
in the predominantly Muslim states of the north. Over the last few years the extremist
group has maintained a violent conflict against the government killing more
than 1000 people and targeting from foreign citizens and government buildings,
as well as universities, churches and media houses and their staff. These
attacks reflect the increasing sectarian divide between the government and Boko
Haram and the weak response of the government so far. Journalists should be guaranteed
security as much as possible as they risk their lifes to provide us with key
information. They should be protected and rewarded, not killed.
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