TOP media bodies in Nigeria and globally have raised concerns about Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments that dismissed reports of journalists facing harassment in the country.

In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, six Nigerian and international media organisations accused his government of ignoring ongoing attacks on journalists.

“Since you assumed office as Nigeria’s president in 2023, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented Nigerian authorities detaining journalists without warning and mistreating them in custody. Numerous journalists have been arrested and prosecuted over their reporting, including on defamation and cybercrime charges,” the group said.

Comprising the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, the Africa Editors Forum, the Media Rights Agenda, the International Press Centre, and the International Press Institute Nigeria, the group criticised Shettima’s claim of February 27, in which he told members of the Nigerian Press Council that no Nigerian journalist had been harassed in the past three years.

He also lauded President Bola Tinubu for being tolerant and said his government supported press freedom.

“On February 27, a State House press release quoted Vice President Shettima saying to members of the Nigerian Press Council, ‘For the past three years, have you heard of any harassment of journalists? He added that your ‘tolerance threshold is so high.’ The press release also said your administration had promoted ‘an environment that is conducive for journalists to carry out their duties without harassment.”

The coalition said the claims ignored many real and well-documented attacks on journalists under Tinubu’s watch. They asked the president to punish those responsible for such abuses and to change laws that make journalism risky.

Since Tinubu became president in 2023, groups like CPJ have reported several cases where journalists were arrested, attacked, or detained by security forces.

For example, CPJ said at least 56 journalists were attacked or harassed during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024. Security forces were reported to have used bullets and tear gas on journalists covering the protests.

The IPC recorded 65 separate attacks on journalists in 2024, including physical violence, unlawful arrests, and threats. Media Rights Agenda reported 86 violations of press freedom in 2025, while CJID said it had confirmed 231 attacks on journalists since Tinubu assumed office.

The groups said these numbers showed a serious problem and called on the government to take action to stop the violence and intimidation.

They also mentioned past cases that are still unresolved, including the death of Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, who was found dead in a Lagos mortuary days after being detained while covering protests in October 2020.

According to CPJ, at least 23 journalists have been killed in Nigeria since 1992. Thirteen of those deaths were directly linked to their work, and two other journalists are still missing and believed to be dead.

Call for action ahead of 2027 elections

The coalition warned that the build-up to the 2027 general elections could see increased pressure and violence against the media unless urgent measures are taken.

“We have not seen meaningful efforts to end impunity when journalists are targeted,” the groups said, addng, “Your government must ensure that the periods before, during, and after the coming elections are safe for those who report the news.”

The coalition called on Tinubu to match his “friendship with the media” with bold action: to investigate and prosecute those responsible for media attacks, return Pelumi’s body to his family, and protect journalists as an essential part of Nigeria’s democracy.

The ICIR recently reported that press freedom in Nigeria faced renewed threats following two separate incidents in Bauchi and Niger states.

The attacks, reportedly carried out by government officials, sparked outrage among Nigerian and international media, which called for urgent action to identify and punish those responsible.