Analytical Report on the Safety of Journalists in Nigeria – January 2017 to May 2019

The Analytical Report on the Safety of Journalists in Nigeria – English produced by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) highlights the freedom of expression and safety of journalists situation in Nigeria from January 2017 to May 2019.

Nigerian journalists face a variety of attacks in the course of carrying out their professional duties, including assault and battery, arrest and detention, shutdown of media outlets, raid of media outlets, confiscation/destruction of work equipment, abductions, prevention from carrying out professional duties among others.

State security agents have been idientified as the major perpetrators of these attacks against journalists. Sadlly, the security and law-enforcement agencies do not seem interested in investigating the attacks or bringing the perpetrators to justice as there are no record of these cases being investigated or the perpetrators being prosecuted. In some other cases, the judiciary seems to be coopted into exacerbating the attacks by unnecessarily detaining journalists for civil matters and where judges agree to grant detainee bail, the conditions are so stringent that they end up spending unnecessarily long time in detention: this situation affects journalists and other citizens who post what those in authority consider unfavourable to them.

Elections periods have become dangerous periods for journalists as they are subjected to various forms of attacks including physical assault, restrictions on their news and information gathering activities, arrest and detention, abduction, and destruction of equipment.

Kindly click here to access the full report on the Analytical Report on the Safety of Journalists in Nigeria – English

This report was produced with support from the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) as part of the its campaign to promote safety of journalists and combat impunity in Africa.  Similar reports have been produced and publicised by AFEX and its member organisations in seven other African countries including Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.