Former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Martins Oloja; Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Akin Akingbulu; Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade; and President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahya, were among media professionals who reiterated the need for the government to safeguard press freedom in the country.
They spoke at a conversation on “Engagement of key stakeholders to tackle attacks on media professionals and strengthen media protection,” held in Abuja. Organised by CEMESO and IPC, the event was held under Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme Phase II (EU-SDGN II).
The engagement revealed that numerous journalists in Nigeria are subjected to attacks, including beatings, physical assaults, and unlawful detention. These incidents are frequently attributed to political affiliates and security personnel.
Oloja Emphasises Quality Journalism
Oloja emphasised the importance of quality journalism in promoting accountability. According to him, “journalism has gone beyond the interpretation of press releases. The more people believe the government has something to hide, the more voices are held accountable. This is where quality works come from.” He concluded, “knowledge gaps are also a barrier. We need to keep sharing knowledge to strengthen our democracy and have a threat-free country for journalists.”
Arogundade Calls for Multi-Stakeholder Approach
On his part, Arogundade noted, “across the globe and here in Nigeria, media professionals continue to face threats ranging from harassment. Media protection is not solely a media issue—it is a societal imperative. A protected media space ensures that citizens are informed, voices are heard, and power is held accountable. Without these, the foundations of democracy and peace are significantly undermined.” He emphasised the need for a multi-stakeholder approach involving government institutions, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations, and media institutions.
Yahya Highlights Internal Issues
Yahya noted, “most of the issues are internal issues. It is time for us journalists to change our attitude. We need to advocate for ourselves.” He pointed to low awareness of existing protection mechanisms and the need for improved sensitisation and better remuneration. “Less than 1% of journalists know the mechanisms available to them. There is the issue of awareness; we need to sensitise the populace.”
Akingbulu: Evidence-Led Dialogue
Akingbulu said the engagement was not a routine gathering but a necessary response to a deteriorating media environment. “This is not a platform for rehearsing grievances without consequence. It is a structured, evidence-led dialogue where every institution represented here will be asked to look directly at what the documentation shows and to leave with specific, time-bound commitments.” He added, “when journalists cannot report without fear, the damage does not stop at the press. It travels directly into governance.”
Highlighting the risks faced by journalists, the discussion revealed that covering elections in Nigeria still exposes reporters to threats against their safety, livelihood, and liberty. “They speak of a professional environment in which covering an election can still mean risking one’s safety, one’s livelihood, or one’s liberty,” Akingbulu added. “We have brought together the institutions that hold actual authority over the conditions this engagement is concerned with; change in this environment will not come from advocacy alone. It will come from the decisions of institutions.”
Plans for Police Engagement
As part of ongoing efforts to improve journalist safety, the conveners disclosed plans to engage the Office of the Inspector General of Police to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on safeguarding journalists, particularly ahead of future elections.
Dr. Yemisi Bamigbose, Executive Director of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), pledged institutional support for implementing recommendations from the engagement. “On behalf of BON, I promise on behalf of my organisation that whatever recommendations we bring together, we shall implement. We can’t afford to lose our members to violence and other attacks.”
Representing the National Orientation Agency (NOA), a speaker noted, “I encourage stakeholders to continue to strengthen democratic values. We would support initiatives that enhance the protection of journalists. We shall continue to play our roles,” she said.
