The Association of Online Media Practitioners, AOMP, has condemned what it described as the continued intimidation and harassment of online media journalists across the country by security operatives.

The AOMP Chairman, Wole Arisekola, who spoke in a statement issued in Abuja over the weekend, stressed that the group finds as unacceptable the manner in which security operatives have continued to clamp down on online journalists.

Arisekola noted that while professional journalists try to do their legitimate job of information dissemination, the environment in which they currently operate in is becoming more hostile for such responsibility.

“I think I am not comfortable now with what is happening in Nigeria with our professional colleagues, I mean the online journalists. You write something about someone that is in bad light, that person can take you to court, it is not a criminal offence but a civil offence but now am so surprised that DSS, is what the politicians are using to intimidate people.

“I have taken the matter to the Inspector General of Police, we’ve never had it so bad in Nigeria where people will be taken to police station, detain there, taken to court, prison, why? When someone writes something about you and you think it is illegal, it’s a libel case and not a criminal offence,” Arisekola said.

While commending the media for not compromising on freedom of speech and expression, the AOMP Chairman decried the activities of bloggers who are always in the act of flouting copyrights laws.

He went on to state that professional journalists using online platforms have always adhered to the press laws of Nigeria while discharging their duties.