MEDIA stakeholders have raised concerns over the increasing attacks on journalists and the growing threats to media safety in Nigeria.

The concerns were raised during a stakeholder engagement organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) on Wednesday, May 6, in Abuja.

They also proposed solutions to strengthen protection mechanisms and improve institutional response to violations against media professionals.

The event, themed “Engagement of Key Stakeholders to Tackle Attacks on Media Professionals and Strengthen Media Protection”, brought together key media professionals, regulators, and civil society organisations.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, Akin Akingbulu, said the engagement was convened as a direct response to mounting pressure on press freedom and the need for institutional accountability.

According to him, the current situation demands more than statements or communiqués that are “filed and forgotten,” stressing that institutions represented at the meeting must confront documented evidence and take responsibility for their role in either enabling or curbing violations against journalists.

Akingbulu emphasised that press freedom is not merely a media-sector issue but a constitutional and democratic necessity. Citing Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, he noted that freedom of expression and the media’s watchdog role are fundamental to accountability and governance.

He warned that continued attacks on journalists and the failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators undermine democratic accountability and weaken the quality of information available to citizens.

“Every erosion in the ability of journalists to report freely, every legal instrument turned against legitimate expression, every act of violence that goes un–investigated and unpunished compounds into an information environment that is less equipped to support informed democratic participation. What we do — and do not do — in this room today has a direct bearing on the quality of Nigeria’s democratic process in 2027,” he said.

The CEMESO director also drew attention to findings from field engagements with journalists ahead of upcoming off-cycle elections in Ekiti and Osun states, showing widespread anxiety among reporters over safety, harassment, and impunity experienced during previous electoral cycles.

He cautioned that without urgent institutional reforms, patterns of intimidation and violence against journalists risk becoming entrenched in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“The journalists of Ekiti deserve to cover that election freely. So do the journalists of Osun and every state that will go to the polls after them,” he added.

Akingbulu explained that the engagement would proceed through a structured format, beginning with the presentation of verified data on attacks against journalists, followed by contextual analysis, testimonies from affected media practitioners, and a policy dialogue culminating in working group recommendations and formal resolutions.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade, noted that journalism in Nigeria had become increasingly dangerous due to rising cases of harassment, intimidation, and attacks on reporters.

He also stressed that media protection should not be treated as a narrow sectoral issue but as a broader societal responsibility tied to democratic governance. 

According to him, a protected media environment is essential for accountability, informed citizenship, and the proper functioning of democracy.

“The International Press Centre, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (IPC-SPJ) Hub documented not less than 20 attacks on journalists during the last 2023 general elections in Nigeria. These attacks vary from physical assaults, unlawful arrest and detention, and several other forms of attacks,” he said.

Arogundade further described the engagement as timely, noting that it was designed to move beyond discussion to actionable outcomes involving government institutions, security agencies, civil society, and the media.

He further presented report titled “Nigeria’s Media Under Pressure: Press Freedom and Digital Rights in 2026”, which shows that journalists and media organisations in Nigeria face increasing threats from security agencies, political actors, and surveillance systems. 

The report shows that 74 per cent of attacks against journalists were allegedly carried out by security forces, particularly the police, while attacks on journalists have surged by 40 per cent between 2022 and 2026. It also alleges that political and corporate interests have compromised the editorial independence of about 42 per cent of media outlets in the country.

On digital rights, the report states that Nigeria has invested over $470 million in surveillance technologies, including facial recognition and tracking systems, raising concerns about privacy and state monitoring.

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Onilu, represented at the event by Olukemi Afolayan, stressed the need for ethical journalism alongside protection efforts.

“While advocating for the protection of journalists, we must continue to promote ethical and responsible media practice. Professionalism, fact-checking, fairness, patriotism and conflict-sensitive reporting remain essential in strengthening public confidence in the media ecosystem,” he said.

A representative of the National Human Rights Commission, Fatimah Mohammed, also underscored the human rights implications of attacks on journalists.

“A free, safe and independent press is not a privilege. It is a constitutional guarantee… When journalists are attacked or harassed, it is not only the media that suffers. Truth suffers, accountability suffers, and democracy suffers,” she said.

The engagement also featured multiple sessions focused on examining the state of media safety and press freedom in Nigeria, including presentations of documented evidence of attacks and discussions on institutional responsibilities in addressing them.

A stakeholder dialogue session brought together representatives of security agencies, regulatory bodies, civil society groups, and media associations to examine accountability gaps, barriers to effective response, and the need for stronger coordination and rapid response mechanisms to protect journalists.

Stakeholders at the event stressed the need for stronger collaboration, improved protection frameworks, and concrete, implementable commitments to ensure a safer environment for journalists across Nigeria.