Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today condemned the brutal assault on a Port Harcourt-based broadcast journalist, Mr. Precious Amadi, by members of Salvation Ministries Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and called on the Federal Government and law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that all those responsible for the attack are identified, prosecuted, and punished.

Mr. Amadi was reportedly brutally beaten and left unconscious by members of Salvation Ministries after he posted a report on his Facebook timeline about a fire outbreak at the church premises located at 17 Birabi Street in Port Harcourt.

Recounting the incident, the journalist said although he helped to contain the fire by assisting church members in evacuating flammable furniture from the church, as well as trying unsuccessfully to get the Rivers State Fire Service to come to the premises to put out the fire, he was shocked when he was falsely accused by the church members of spying. He recalled that they then proceeded to physically assault him under the supervision of some junior pastors of the church.

He said his two mobile phones were destroyed in the process while he suffered multiple injuries, and was unlawfully detained for several hours. He added that his social Facebook posts calling for help were deleted by the church members without his consent while the data on his phones were wiped clean in an attempt to erase evidence of the assault and his call for help.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its Programme Officer, Mr. John Gbadamosi, MRA described the action of the church members as a ?despicable act and a grave violation of media freedom and human rights.?

Mr. Gbadamosi said: ?Such acts of violence against a journalist are not only unacceptable but also constitute a direct attack on media freedom and the right to freedom of expression, which are fundamental pillars of any democratic society. No journalist should ever face intimidation, harassment, or physical harm for their reporting.? He added that the role of the media is to inform the public, and any attempt to silence journalists through violence constitutes a grave violation of their rights.

He called on the Federal Government and the relevant law enforcement agencies to investigate this incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible for the attack, including those who directly participated, those who ordered it, and those who supervised it, are identified and held accountable, stressing that ?the safety and protection of journalists must be guaranteed at all times, and any attempt to stifle media freedom must be met with the full force of the law.?

Mr. Gbadamosi also urged the leadership of Salvation Ministries to take immediate steps to address this situation by condemning the attack, assisting law enforcement agents to identify those responsible and ensuring justice is served.

He also advised the church to sensitize its members on the importance of respecting journalists and upholding democratic values, insisting that the right of the members of the media to report freely is not negotiable.

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