The Nigerian government has condemned the attacks on journalists in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, represented by the Head of Mission of the Nigerian Embassy in Turkey, Ambassador Zayyad Abdul-Salam, made the condemnation at the Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers, themed “Israeli Government’s Disinformation and Hostilities Against Journalists during the Israeli Occupation of Palestine,” held on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey.
He stressed that the action represents flagrant violations of press freedom and human rights.
The minister noted that since the beginning of the conflict, journalists have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, violence and even death.
“From the statistics provided by the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), about 88 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023.
“As Ministers of Information representing member states of the Islamic Conference, it is incumbent upon us to condemn in the strongest terms these atrocities and censorship against journalists performing their legitimate duties in Palestine,” he said.
“At the heart of our response must be a commitment to upholding the principles of press freedom, freedom of expression, and the right to information.
“We cannot allow them to be trampled upon by those who seek to silence dissent and control the narrative,” he added.
The minister called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and emphasised Nigeria’s position on a two-state solution to address the crisis in Palestine.