The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos – Nigeria has condemned the decision of the Department of State Services to accredit ten media organisations to cover the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Monday July 26th, 2021.
According to Department of State Services (DSS), the newspapers accredited were Daily Post, Premium Times, Thisday, The Nation, The Herald, and Daily Independent while the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Channels Television, Africa Independent Television and Television Continental (TVC) were picked from the broadcast media sector.
However, IPC opined that the Department of State Service (DSS) has no constitutional right to accredit journalists to cover the trial of Nnamdi Kanu or any other suspect for that matter, based on the provisions of the National Security Agencies Act.
In a statement, Melody Lawal, IPC Program Officer/Safety Desk Officer noted that, “IPC is amazed and concerned about this development which has no precedent anywhere in the world.
“The trial of Nnamdi Kanu is a matter of public interest and accrediting some media outlets to cover it violates press freedom and the right of the public to know”.
