Director-General calls for investigation into killing of TV journalist Precious Owolabi in Nigeria

The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has condemned the killing of Precious Owolabi, a trainee television journalist in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, on 22 July.

“I condemn the killing of Precious Owolabi,” said the Director-General. “I trust the authorities will investigate the circumstances of Mr Owolabi’s death and ensure that journalists can continue carrying out their work in safe conditions.”

Precious Owolabi was shot dead while covering a demonstration that gave rise to clashes between protesters and police for Channels Television. Several other civilians and one police officer were also killed during that confrontation.

UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and a range of actions, notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

See also: UNESCO observatory of killed journalists

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Media contact: Sylvie Coudray, s.coudray@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 08 91