UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF NIGERIAN JOURNALIST

UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF NIGERIAN JOURNALIST New York, Aug 25 2008 5:10PM The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today deplored the assassination of a senior Nigerian newspaper journalist, who was shot dead last week.

Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in a statement that Paul Abayomi Ogundeji is the second member of the editorial board of <i>Thisday</i>, an English-language newspaper based in Lagos, to be murdered in two years.

"His killing is a blow to the basic human right of freedom of expression in Nigeria," Mr. Matsuura said, adding that he hoped authorities would spare no effort in investigating the killing and bringing the culprits to trial.

UNESCO said there were conflicting reports about the exact circumstances of the killing of Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, who was shot in a suburb of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, on 17 August. The journalist has worked for <i>Thisday</i> for three months and had previously worked for other Nigerian publications.

UNESCO is the only UN agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom.
2008-08-25 00:00:00.000

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