A recent report by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has revealed that Nigeria’s security agencies are the primary perpetrators of attacks against journalists in the country.
The report titled, “Media Freedom Under Threat: The State of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety in Nigeria 2024,” documents a disturbing trend of violence and intimidation against media professionals.
According to the report, security agencies, including the police, military, and intelligence services, were responsible for 45 out of 69 attacks against journalists recorded between January 1 and October 31, 2024, representing a staggering 65 percent of all attacks documented during this period.
The report details various forms of attacks against journalists, including assault and battery, arbitrary arrests and detention, raids on homes and offices, threats to life, harassment, abductions, and kidnappings. In one instance, a journalist was killed.
MRA’s programme officer, John Gbadamosi, condemned the actions of security agencies, stating that “the institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of citizens, including journalists, have instead become the instruments of oppression against the media.
Gbadamosi, said: “It is ironic that the institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law as well as ensuring the safety and security of citizens, including journalists, have instead become the instruments of oppression against the media.
“It is worse still that the pervasive culture of impunity which has ensured a lack of accountability for past attacks has now emboldened the perpetrators to the extent that we are now seeing them at their most horrendous.
The report documented in detail 21 cases of assault and battery against journalists during the first 10 months of the year; 17 cases of arbitrary arrests and detention; three cases of raids on homes/offices of journalists; eight cases of threat to life; two cases of harassment, six cases of abductions/kidnapping; five instances when journalists were obstructed from performing their duties; one journalist killed; and six cases of other forms of attacks.
Besides law enforcement and security agencies, other perpetrators of attacks against journalists documented in the report include other government officials responsible for four of the attacks; the courts, responsible for two violations of journalists’ rights; thugs and hoodlums, responsible for seven of the attacks; four unknown gunmen and six other unknown persons.
MRA noted in the 137-page report, titled ‘Media Freedom Under Threat: The State of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety in Nigeria 2024’, that out of a total of 64 attacks against journalists that it recorded in 2022, law enforcement and security agencies were responsible for 29, representing approximately 45 per cent of the attacks; while they were responsible for 34 out of the 77 attacks against journalists it documented in 2023, representing approximately 44 per cent.
However, MRA said the situation got significantly worse in 2024 as law enforcement and security agencies were responsible for 45 out of the total number of 69 attacks against journalists it documented between January 1 and October 31, representing approximately 65 per cent.
Despite the alarming statistics, the report notes some positive developments. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) did not impose any fines on broadcast stations in 2024, following court judgments secured by MRA. Additionally, a court-mandated inquiry was opened into the death of a journalist who was allegedly killed by the police in 2020.
The MRA calls for urgent measures to protect journalists and hold perpetrators accountable. This includes strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework to better protect journalists and ensuring that all attacks against journalists are thoroughly investigated and perpetrators prosecuted.
The report highlights the precarious state of media freedom in Nigeria and the need for immediate action to safeguard the rights of journalists and the public’s right to know.