Nigerian and international media freedom organisations have written a joint letter to President Tinubu, urging him to hold accountable those responsible for abuses against the media which occurred during and before his tenure, and to take further action to reform Nigerian laws to ensure journalism is not criminalised.
It expresses alarm over remarks by the vice president Kashim Shettima that no journalists have been harassed in Nigeria since the Tinubu administration took office.
The letter came soon after an outcry over the beating of Muhammad Sani Adamu, pictured, in Bauchi state by local police. Mr Adamu had tried to get into Eid Durbar festivities and showed his press badge to police to identify himself as a journalist. He said the situation quickly escalated as two officers began to beat him, and then several more policemen joined in hitting him with sticks and cutting his head open.
The Nigerian Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development described the incident as a gross violation of human rights and press freedom, emphasising the importance of media protections and calling the press a “constitutionally recognised pillar of democracy” that requires a safe environment to function properly.
In their letter to the President, media organisations called on the government to make those responsible for abuse of journalists accountable. Referring to the claim that no journalists had been harassed since President Tinubu came to office, they said: “This mischaracterisation 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 letter goes on: “Since you assumed office as Nigeria’s president in 2023, the Committee to Protect Journalists has documented Nigerian authorities detaining journalists without warning and mistreating them in custody. Numerous journalists have been arrested and prosecuted over their reporting, including on defamation and cybercrime charges.
“In August 2024, CPJ documented at least 56 journalists assaulted or harassed by Nigerian security forces or citizens while covering the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. Masked security forces even fired bullets and tear gas in the direction of 18 working journalists.
“Additionally, in 2024, the International Press Centre documented 65 cases of attacks on journalists. These attacks varied from physical assault, harassment, threats to life, intimidation, murder, and unlawful and prolonged detentions.
“Media Rights Agenda’s 2025 annual report similarly tracked 86 incidents of attacks on press freedom across Nigeria and the International Press Institute Nigeria has identified a pattern of impunity for such incidents in the country.
“The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, which tracks media freedom violations, has verified at least 231 attacks on the press since you took office, and in 2024 wrote to your office urging decisive action to stop such incidents.”
