International Centre for Safety of Journalists expresses worry over assassination attempt on Karen James

The International Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ), has expressed great concern about reported threats on the life of Investigative Journalist, Karen James, as information reaching the centre revealed that she has been a target of several assassination attempts.

Penpushing reports that the Coordinator of the Centre Melody Akinjiyan in a statement on Saturday explained that the journalist in a petition said unscrupulous individuals, reportedly sent after her, seek to silence her and has to go into hiding.

‘Information reaching the I-CSPJ, states that Karen James has been the target of several assassination attempts, as unscrupulous individuals, reportedly sent after her, seek to silence her. Fearing for her life, the journalist is now in hiding’,Akinjiyan wrote.

‘In a petition Karen James wrote on Thursday, August 10, 2023 to the Honourable Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly she stated that, her trouble began after she exposed an alleged scandal in the Anambra Ministry of Education”, she added

“Karen James had been conducting a month-long investigation into the inner workings of the Anambra State education system, where she uncovered massive corruption, incompetence and outright disregard of public yearnings for truth into the Blessed Wisdom Model School saga in Onitsha that abruptly ended their 3rd term promotion examination and inadvertently displacing over 600 school children from schooling hence casting them unto the streets of Onitsha”, the petition stated.

‘I-CSPJ is deeply worried about the situation of Journalist Karen James and hereby calls on the Nigerian government and the security agencies to ensure that she is not harmed in any way. I-CSPJ enjoins anyone who may be aggrieved over the reports by the journalist to seek redress through legal channels instead of attempting to resort to extra-judicial self-help’, the statement reads.

Penpushing further reports that the Centre therefore appealed to other national, regional and international media freedom groups, freedom of expression organisations and human rights bodies to join in the clamour for her safety.

The Coordinator of International Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ), emphaised in the statement that the body is concerned that incidents like this would continue to make Nigeria to rate poorly in the global press freedom index.

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