Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has strongly condemned the attack on Trust Television cameraman Taiwo Yishau, who was brutalized by hoodlums while covering the All Progressives Congress (APC) grand finale rally for the party's presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
The condemnation was made in a press release signed by John Gbadamosi, the organization's Programme Officer.
MRA has called on the police authorities to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the attack's perpetrators immediately.
It expressed bewilderment that policemen stationed at the rally venue, who witnessed the assault on the journalist, did nothing to intervene and put an end to the attack.
Gbadamosi described the attack as "an egregious violation of press freedom and the basic human rights of the journalist". He called for urgent measures to ensure journalists' safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Yishau was assaulted despite displaying his press tag issued by the party. He was stopped from entering the rally venue and accused of forging the accreditation tag.
The bouncers hired as security men handed him over to his attackers, who accused him, without any evidence or basis, of working for another party.
The policemen stationed a few meters away from the scene did nothing to assist him. The hoodlums hit the cameraman multiple times, demanding that he show them his previous works for APC.
MRA stated that the attack on Yishau was criminal negligence by the policemen who failed to intervene to end the unwarranted attack on the cameraman.
It called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible for the attack were arrested and prosecuted.
The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage requires law enforcement agencies, political parties, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure an enabling environment for journalists and other media workers to effectively discharge their duties before, during, and after elections.