Security agencies behind majority of attacks on Nigerian journalists in 2024 — Report

Nigerian security agencies, including the police, military, and intelligence services, were responsible for 65% of the attacks on journalists in 2024, marking a significant escalation in media harassment, according to a new report by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA).

The findings were detailed in MRA’s annual “Media Freedom Under Threat: The State of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety in Nigeria 2024,” released on Monday.

The 137-page report documented 45 out of 69 attacks against journalists recorded between January 1 and October 31, 2024, were perpetrated by security forces, highlighting a worsening trend from the previous years. In comparison, security agencies were responsible for 44% of documented attacks in 2023 (34 out of 77) and 45% in 2022 (29 out of 64).

Announcing the report, MRA Programme Officer John Gbadamosi condemned the disturbing role of security agencies, calling it a betrayal of their duty.

“It is ironic that the institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety of citizens, including journalists, have become instruments of oppression against the media,” Gbadamosi said in Lagos.

“The culture of impunity has emboldened perpetrators to act with impunity, and we are now seeing some of the most egregious attacks.”

The report painted a grim picture of media safety in Nigeria, documenting:

21 cases of assault and battery

17 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention

8 cases of threats to life

6 cases of abductions/kidnapping

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5 instances of obstruction of journalistic work

1 journalist killed

6 other forms of attacks

Other perpetrators included government officials (4 cases), courts (2 cases), hoodlums (7 cases), and unknown gunmen (4 cases), demonstrating that harassment of the press extended beyond security agencies.

Zero fines from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC): For the first time in recent years, the NBC imposed no punitive fines on broadcast stations for alleged code violations. MRA attributed this to favorable court rulings in May 2023 and January 2024, which prohibited the NBC from levying fines without legal backing.

Progress in the Pelumi Onifade Case: The report highlighted the opening of a court-mandated inquiry into the death of Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year-old Gboah TV reporter killed in 2020 while covering the #EndSARS protests. Onifade was arrested by police attached to a Lagos taskforce and later found dead.

Describing the inquiry as a “significant step toward accountability and justice,” Gbadamosi said MRA’s legal action against the police and Lagos State Government paved the way for the Federal High Court’s judgment ordering an investigation into Onifade’s death.

While acknowledging these developments, MRA stressed that Nigeria’s media environment remains “extremely concerning.” Gbadamosi called for urgent reforms to safeguard journalists and end the cycle of impunity.

“Strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework is imperative to protect journalists, investigate attacks swiftly, and prosecute perpetrators,” he said. “Without meaningful action, the violence against journalists will persist, undermining Nigeria’s democracy and the public’s right to know.”

Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, has witnessed recurring harassment and violence against journalists, exacerbating fears over press freedom. Media stakeholders have long decried a hostile environment where journalists face threats from state and non-state actors, jeopardizing their safety and ability to inform the public.

The MRA report serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Nigeria’s media and the need for decisive action to reverse the trend.

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