A coalition of leading international and domestic media rights organizations has issued a scathing open letter to President Bola Tinubu, expressing alarm over recent comments made by Vice President Kashim Shettima regarding the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
The letter, signed by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Centre (IPC), and several other partners, accuses the Vice President of a grave indifference to the reality of media suppression. During a February meeting with the Nigerian Press Council, Shettima reportedly questioned if anyone had heard of journalists being harassed in the last three years, claiming the administration’s tolerance threshold is so high.
Documented Attacks Contrast Official Claims
The press freedom advocates countered the Vice President’s narrative with a barrage of data highlighting a surge in violence and legal harassment against the media since President Tinubu took office in 2023. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported that it has verified at least 231 attacks on the press during the current administration’s tenure.
The groups specifically highlighted the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in August 2024, where at least 56 journalists were assaulted or harassed by security forces. In some instances, masked operatives reportedly fired bullets and tear gas directly at working press members.
“This mischaracterization conveys a grave indifference to the numerous and well-documented attacks on the press while you have been president, including violent abuses and arrests by Nigerian security forces,” the coalition stated in the letter.
The Fight Against Impunity and Cybercrime Charges
Beyond physical violence, the coalition raised concerns over the criminalization of journalism through the use of defamation and cybercrime laws. The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) tracked 86 incidents of attacks in its 2025 annual report, while the IPC documented 65 cases in 2024 alone, ranging from unlawful detention to threats to life.
The letter also drew attention to the cold case of Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, a journalist who died in police custody in 2020. Despite five years of pleading, the government has yet to return Pelumi’s body to his family, a move the groups cite as a symbol of the prevailing culture of impunity.
Urgent Reforms Needed Before 2027 Elections
With general elections scheduled for early 2027, the organizations warned that periods of political tension often trigger spikes in attacks on the media. They urged President Tinubu to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to reform laws that allow for the prosecution of reporters.
The coalition, which includes leaders such as Angela Quintal (CPJ), Lanre Arogundade (IPC), and Musikilu Mojeed (IPI Nigeria), concluded that if the administration truly wishes to be a friend of the media, it must hold abusers accountable and ensure a safe environment for the press before the next electoral cycle begins.
READS ABOUT THE FULL LETTER HERE
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