The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has appointed the NSCDC FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu, as the focal point in Nigeria for the “Monitoring and Reporting on the Safety of Journalists in Africa” project, with a specific focus on gender.
In a statement, the FCT Public Relations Officer (PRO), Monica Ojobi, said the appointment follows his participation in a three-day regional training workshop in Entebbe, Uganda, in November 2025.
The workshop brought together 30 participants from Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, including journalists, civil society representatives, law enforcement officers and legal experts from the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU). Participants reviewed the “online observatory” developed to monitor and track attacks against women journalists in Africa and offered recommendations to strengthen its functionality and coordination among key stakeholders.
The training, which was organised by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) and funded by the Government of the Netherlands through UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), formed part of the second phase of the project, “Applying Modern Technologies to Enhance Mechanisms for Monitoring and Reporting Attacks Against Women Journalists in Africa.”
According to his letter of nomination and appointment, his responsibilities will include receiving and reviewing cases involving threats, harassment and attacks against women journalists in Nigeria and guiding appropriate follow-up action through designated national mechanisms.
Ojobi stated that Odumosu’s engagement will also help ensure that reported cases are promptly addressed by the responsible security agencies through official channels in Nigeria.
“The role positions Nigeria to strengthen its compliance with global frameworks on freedom of expression and the safety of media practitioners. It will serve as the national coordinating link between UNESCO, government agencies, media organisations, civil society groups and security institutions on issues relating to attacks against journalists in Nigeria,” the statement noted.
Reacting to the nomination, the commandant expressed appreciation to the NSCDC Commandant General (CG), Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, for approving his participation in the assignment.
In the same vein, he expressed gratitude to the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, for the confidence reposed in him to undertake the assignment, describing the appointment as both an honour and a call to duty at a time when the safety of journalists, especially women who are considered more vulnerable, remains a critical concern in Nigeria and globally.
“I want to appreciate my amiable CG for giving me the approval to undertake this noble task and the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi for the appointment, and I shall do my best to justify this call to service.
“Journalism is a noble profession, practised by noble men and women and I am confident that my engagement will enhance the project effectiveness in Nigeria and further reinforce collaboration among key institutions dedicated to the safety of women journalists across Africa,” he explained.
Odumosu promised to work closely with professional bodies such as the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), civil society groups and other relevant stakeholders in ensuring the protection of female journalists across the continent and in Nigeria.
