Nigerian Groups Urge Journalist Protections on Press Freedom Day

Nigerian civil society groups on Wednesday marked World Press Freedom Day by urging the federal government and state authorities to intensify protections for journalists amid persistent attacks, harassment, and a restrictive reporting environment.

The Media Rights Agenda, in a statement from Lagos, called on the federal government to implement a February 16, 2024, judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled in a suit filed by the group against the Attorney General of the Federation that authorities must investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators of attacks on journalists, prevent future incidents, and provide remedies to victims. Programme Officer Ayomide Eweje noted that noncompliance more than two years later has fostered impunity. "The state of media freedom in Nigeria remains deeply concerning, marked by persistent and spiralling incidents of attacks against journalists and media organisations," she said. Eweje highlighted patterns of intimidation, arbitrary arrests by security agencies, and misuse of laws like the Cybercrime Act to target reporters covering governance and corruption.

Separately, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability...