THE ICIR’S senior investigative reporter, Nurudeen Akewushola, has been shortlisted for the 2025 Fetisov Journalism Awards in the category of Outstanding Contribution to Peace, following his ground-breaking investigation into a Nigerian Air Force airstrike that killed civilians in Katsina State.
Akewushola’s reporting revealed that on November 20, 2024, an airstrike in Shawu village, Ruwan Godiya district, Faskari Local Government killed at least five unarmed civilians, including women and children, and injured 19 others.
Despite claims by the Katsina State Government and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) that the operation targeted terrorists, Akewushola’s investigation showed the area had been evacuated by the armed groups before the attack, leaving innocent villagers as the primary victims.
Through field reporting, interviews, Akewushola documented consequences for families like that of Isah and his heavily pregnant wife, Hafsat, who lost their unborn child and faced crippling medical expenses. Other victims included eight-year-old Maryam Mukhtar and her mother, Abasyya, whose deaths left relatives grappling with profound loss.
The investigation also highlighted the government’s attempts to mislead the public, with the report exposing a systematic cover-up.
In his category, nine other journalists were shortlisted.
This year, 33 submissions from 19 countries were shortlisted, including entries from the UK, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The winners will be announced at a gala in Cyprus on April 22, 2026.
“This year’s bumper harvest of outstanding stories is more evidence that, in spite of the many crises facing news media, quality journalism around the world is alive and well.
“The shortlist includes entries from France, the Netherlands, Qatar, Indonesia, UK, USA, India, Finland, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, China, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all of them competing for a share of the 520,000 CHF (USD 644,000) prize fund,” the statement read.
The Fetisov Awards aim to reward journalists whose work challenges injustice, fosters transparency, and contributes to global peace, highlighting the indispensable role of investigative reporting in shaping societies.
The jury is expected to review the shortlist to determine the finalists, with winners set to be announced at a gala ceremony in Cyprus on April 22, 2026.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M