Nigeria’s press attacks are concerning, as a free and independent press is crucial for a healthy democracy.
As Nigeria joins the world to celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2025 with the theme “Protecting Journalists and Ending Impunity,” the country’s media is still facing attacks.
Though President Bola Tinubu promised to protect press freedom when he took office in May 2023, journalists are still being attacked, watched, and taken to court, mostly by government employees. Press freedom in Nigeria remains under severe threat, with a sharp increase in violations against journalists largely perpetrated by state actors, especially security agencies.
Journalists in Nigeria face daily risks such as being surveilled, attacked, arrested, or harassed by security agencies and other powerful groups. These threats have created a climate where it is difficult for reporters to do their jobs freely and safely.
The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Nigeria 112th out of 180 countries, which is a slight improvement from 123rd in 2023, but the country is still considered one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the region. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) notes that government interference is widespread, especially during elections, and media owners and officials often influence coverage and journalist appointments. In September 2023, for example, authorities destroyed two private media transmitters, and in May 2023, a federal court had to stop a regulatory move that would have suspended about 50 radio stations for not paying license fees.
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) operates the Press Attack Tracker (PAT), a pioneering tool launched in 2019 to track, verify, and document press freedom violations in Nigeria. Since 2019, PAT has recorded over 1,236 attacks on journalists and media groups, including 28 deaths since 1986. These attacks include unlawful arrests, physical violence, threats, and kidnappings.
From January 2023 to December 2024, PAT documented 135 attacks. In 2024 alone, security personnel were responsible for 41 attacks, other government actors for 48, individuals for 6, kidnappers or armed robbers for 10, unknown attackers for 3, and outlaw groups for 27. Between May 29, 2023, and December 2024, there were 149 attacks: 80 by security personnel, 17 by state actors, 3 by individuals, 4 by kidnappers/armed robbers, 38 by unknown assailants, and 3 by outlaw groups.
The tracker also shows that female journalists face special risks. From 1998 to 2024, 46 attacks specifically targeted women in the media. Political turmoil made things worse during the #EndBadGovernance protests, 68 press freedom violations were recorded.
Despite government promises to respect press freedom, attacks continue. After President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023, PAT recorded 37 violations in one year, with 26 caused by security forces and 7 by other government actors. Laws like the Cybercrime Act are often used to silence journalists, with nine cases recorded between January and May 2024 alone.
The Media and Expression in Nigeria (MEiN) Report for January 2025 found that 71% of press freedom violations involved direct attacks on journalists, with security agencies responsible for 57% of these incidents. These included physical assaults, arrests, detentions, and even assassination. Journalists have been stopped from covering important events, such as election tribunals, and some media houses have been shut down for reporting on sensitive issues.
The situation has gotten worse over time. A recent report by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) shows that security agencies were responsible for 45 out of 69 attacks on journalists between January and October 2024-about 65%. This represents an increase compared to previous years. In 2022, security agencies were behind 29 out of 64 attacks (45%), and in 2023, 34 out of 77 attacks (44%). This shows that attacks by security forces are becoming more common, not less.
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that at least 56 journalists were attacked and harassed in Nigeria during protests in 2024. In the previous year, more than 40 journalists were detained, attacked, or harassed while covering presidential and state elections, highlighting the dangers journalists face during major political events.
The #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024 were particularly dangerous for journalists. According to the International Press Centre (IPC), 40 attacks on journalists occurred between January and September 2024, affecting more than 65 journalists and two media organizations. Lagos, Kaduna, and Rivers states were among the most affected. Out of the affected journalists, 36 were men and five were women, but many cases did not mention gender, which means the real number could be higher. The attacks included harassment, intimidation, unlawful detention, physical assault, gunshots, and threats to life. Security forces were responsible for 25 of these attacks, with the rest coming from unknown people, hoodlums, and bandits. The attacks happened across print, broadcast, and online media, with 10 incidents in print media, 15 in broadcast media, and 23 in online media.
Legal Framework Protecting Press Freedom
Constitutional Provisions: Press freedom in Nigeria is mainly protected by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
- Section 22 of the Constitution gives the press, radio, television, and other mass media the duty to uphold the fundamental objectives and principles of state policy and to hold the government accountable to the people. This section empowers the media to serve as a watchdog over those in power.
- Section 39(1) of the Constitution guarantees every person the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.
- Section 39(2) allows every person to own, establish, and operate any medium for sharing information, ideas, and opinions, as long as they follow laws about licensing, especially for broadcasting. These sections together provide the legal basis for journalists and media houses to sections together provide the legal basis for journalists and media houses to operate freely in Nigeria.
- However, Section 39(3) and Section 45(1) of the Constitution allow the government to make laws that can limit these rights in the interest of defense, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, or to protect the rights and freedoms of others. This means that while freedom of expression and press freedom are guaranteed, they are not absolute and can be restricted under certain conditions.
Regional and International Frameworks
Nigeria is also bound by regional and international agreements that protect freedom of expression and the press.
- The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), which Nigeria has adopted into its national laws, guarantees every individual the right to receive information and to express and disseminate opinions within the law. The Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa further strengthens these rights by setting out clear standards for media freedom and access to information.
- Globally, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including seeking, receiving, and imparting information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), also in Article 19, protects the right to hold opinions without interference and the right to freedom of expression in any form.
Read also: Press Freedom: Lessons for Nigeria
National Laws and Regulations That Limit Press Freedom
Despite these protections, several Nigerian laws and regulations have been used to limit or threaten press freedom.
- The Official Secrets Act (1962) makes it a crime to publish or possess government documents considered classified or restricted. This law has been used to arrest and prosecute journalists who report on issues the government claims are sensitive to national security, even when the information is in the public interest.
- The Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015 is one of the most frequently used laws against journalists. Section 24 of this Act criminalizes sending messages or publishing content that is grossly offensive, menacing, or causes annoyance or needless anxiety.These vague terms have been used to arrest or intimidate journalists and bloggers who criticize the government or powerful individuals. In February 2025, Amnesty International and SERAP publicly urged Nigerian security agencies to stop misusing the Cybercrime Act to intimidate journalists and activists, referencing the ECOWAS Court’s 2022 judgment that ordered Nigeria to cease prosecuting individuals under section 24 for exercising freedom of expression.
- The Obscene and Harmful Publications Act (1961) criminalizes publishing material deemed obscene or likely to “deprave and corrupt” readers. Because “obscenity” is not clearly defined, this law can be used to target journalists reporting on controversial topics.
- The Nigeria Press Council Act established the Nigeria Press Council to regulate journalism standards and ethics. However, the Council has been criticized for lacking independence, as many members are government appointees, and for being used to control the media.
- The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act regulates broadcast licensing and content. The NBC has the power to fine or sanction media houses for what it considers violations. In 2023, the ECOWAS Court ruled that parts of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code were vague and repressive, violating freedom of expression, and ordered Nigeria to amend these rules.
A Call To Action
To protect democracy and ensure a safe environment for journalists, the Nigerian government must take urgent action to end attacks on the press, hold perpetrators accountable, and reform laws that are used to silence critical voices.
Security agencies should stop harassing and intimidating journalists, while lawmakers also need to review and amend laws like the Cybercrime Act and Official Secrets Act that threaten press freedom.
Lastly, Civil society, media organizations, and the public must continue to demand justice, transparency, and respect for the rights of journalists to enable the media to operate freely without fear.
