SERAP and the Nigeria Guild of Editors have jointly urged Nigerian authorities across all tiers of government to cease employing oppressive and anti-media legislation as a means to target, intimidate, and harass journalists, critics, and media organizations.
This call comes following a dialogue session on ‘the status of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
In a collective statement, SERAP and NGE emphasized the need for President Bola Tinubu’s government, along with the nation’s 36 governors and the FCT minister, to genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure equitable access to information for all Nigerians, adhere to court rulings, and uphold the principles of the rule of law. They voiced apprehensions regarding the escalating crackdown on freedom of expression and media liberty, as well as the blatant disregard for legal norms by authorities at various levels of governance.
The organizations highlighted the diverse forms of press suppression observed recently, including extrajudicial measures, unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions, and the misuse of legislation and law enforcement mechanisms. They affirmed their commitment to speaking truth to power and holding authorities accountable for their constitutional and international obligations concerning freedom of expression and media liberty.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s historical challenges with press censorship and media freedom constraints, even amidst nearly 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in the Fourth Republic, the groups underscored the persistent need for vigilance and advocacy to safeguard these fundamental rights.
