Nigerian minister claims press freedom upheld under Tinubu, contradicting reports of journalist arrests and media crackdowns for critical coverage of the government.
In a striking contradiction, Nigeria's Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has proclaimed that press freedom has been upheld under President Bola Tinubu's administration. This assertion comes amidst mounting reports of journalists facing harassment, arrests, and media crackdowns, allegedly due to critical coverage of the government.
During a briefing commemorating Tinubu's first year in office, Idris affirmed the administration's commitment to upholding press freedom while simultaneously cautioning journalists against spreading misinformation. However, his claims stand in stark contrast to the experiences of several journalists who have faced legal troubles and detentions in recent months.
Notable cases include the detention of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was allegedly "abducted" by police officers in Lagos. Authorities claimed Ojukwu had violated sections of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act 2015. Similarly, freelance journalist Jamil Mabai was detained by the Katsina Hisbah religious police after being invited for an "interview."
In a separate incident, Segun Olatunji, a former editor of FirstNews, an online news platform, was reportedly abducted by armed men in Lagos, with his family kept in the dark about his whereabouts or the reasons for his seizure.
Press freedom advocacy groups and targeted journalists have vehemently contradicted the minister's rhetoric, citing these incidents as evidence of a crackdown on critical voices under Tinubu's leadership.
As the Nigerian government grapples with accusations of stifling media freedom, the international community has raised concerns over the troubling global trend of increased crackdowns on journalists, which poses a threat to democratic principles and transparency.
