Appointment follows regional training in Uganda; role to focus on monitoring attacks against women journalists
Abuja, 16 July 2026 – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, has appointed the FCT Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, as Nigeria’s Focal Point for the project “Monitoring and Reporting on the Safety of Journalists in Africa, with a Specific Focus on Gender.”
This was contained in a statement signed by the FCT CDPRO, DSC Monica Ojobi, and made available to journalists on Wednesday. Ref: CMDT/012/CDPRU/FCT/VOL.3/7.
According to the statement, the appointment followed Dr. Odumosu’s participation in a 3-day regional training workshop held in Entebbe, Uganda, in November 2025.
The workshop brought together 30 participants from Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. They included journalists, civil society representatives, law enforcement officers and legal experts from the Pan African Lawyers Union, PALU. Participants reviewed an “online observatory” designed to monitor and track attacks against women journalists in Africa.
The training was organised by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television, IAWRT, and funded by the Government of Netherlands through UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication, IPDC. It forms part of the second phase of the project “Applying Modern Technologies to Enhance Mechanism for Monitoring and Reporting Attacks Against Women Journalists in Africa.”
Under the appointment, Dr. Odumosu will receive and review cases involving threats, harassment and attacks against women journalists in Nigeria. He will also guide follow-up action through designated national mechanisms and ensure reported cases are addressed promptly by relevant security agencies.
UNESCO noted that the role positions Nigeria to strengthen compliance with global frameworks on freedom of expression and the safety of media practitioners. It will also serve as the national coordinating link between UNESCO, government agencies, media organizations, civil society groups and security institutions.
Reacting to the nomination, Commandant Odumosu thanked the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, for approving the appointment. He also expressed gratitude to the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi for the opportunity.
He described the appointment as “both an honor and a call to duty” at a time when the safety of journalists, especially women, remains a critical concern.
“Journalism is a noble profession practised by noble men and women. I am confident that my engagement will enhance the project’s effectiveness in Nigeria and further reinforce collaboration among key institutions dedicated to the safety of women journalists across Africa,” he said.
Dr. Odumosu pledged to work closely with the National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, civil society groups and other stakeholders to ensure the protection of female journalists in Nigeria and across the continent