No fewer than 25 Nigerian journalists have called on President Bola Tinubu to end his administration’s war against free speech.
This follows the report that over 128 journalists were detained, subjected to harassment, and faced legal threats between May 2023 and October 2024, simply for doing their jobs.
This includes 68 documented attacks during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024, where journalists were targeted with violence, arrests, and intimidation tactics.
These sober statistics were brought to light during the screening of Gatefield’s Cost of Truth documentary and a civic space dialogue on the state of free speech in Nigeria, held on Tuesday in Abuja
The event was jointly organized by Gatefield, a public strategy and advocacy group, and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).
Through its expository style and use of personal narratives, the documentary highlighted the human cost of Nigeria’s repressive laws, including Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, and state abuses that continue to stifle dissent and silence critical voices.
The Cost of Truth documentary used real stories and evidence to show the struggle for free speech in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need to change laws and protect the rights of
Nigerians.
Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, stated: “Press freedom in Nigeria is under siege, with nearly 70 journalists arrested this year—double the figure earlier in the year. Citizens, too, feel silenced, as daily threats and intimidation create an atmosphere of fear. But history shows that collective action works. From #FreeDanielOjukwu to resisting the persecution of EndBadGovernance protesters, we’ve proven that together, we can confront and overcome these challenges to our democracy.
“The most powerful force in any democracy is its citizens. Even when the system fails us, we must remain intentional about protecting our rights, defending the rights of others, and securing our future. I know many of us feel weary and disenchanted, but we cannot afford to give in to fatigue or despair. Our collective strength is what drives meaningful change, and now, more than ever, we must stand firm.”, said Tsema Ede, a social justice defender.
Christiana Longe, Project Manager, Media Freedom, at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), highlighted the critical role of a free press in a democracy, as protected by Sections 39 and 22 of Nigeria’s Constitution. Despite these safeguards, press freedom in Nigeria faces relentless threats.
Adebayo Aare, Project Associate, Media Freedom, at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in his paper presentation demonstrated the severity of these attacks using Press Attack Tracker, a tool that tracks and documents incidents against journalists nationwide.
The documentary resonated deeply with the participants at the event, who shared their thoughts:
Nathan Williams, Journalist, Classic FM [While we may not capture every case of human rights violations against free speech, the voices we’ve heard reflect a shared sentiment. It’s important to highlight these issues, as they reveal gaps in the government’s security and human rights protections. Citizens are realizing the importance of speaking up, staying silent only allows more harm and limits our ability to act. Now is the time to raise our voices]
Ameenah Bintu Muhammad, Team Lead, Connected Hands for Family Health & Empowerment Initiative [We need more documentaries and other forms of storytelling like this, presented in local languages. In one way or another, every Nigerian has experienced their rights being stifled
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