Nigerian journalist Madu Onuorah arrested for alleged defamation, released on bail
New York, May 24, 2024 — Nigerian authorities should drop their investigation into journalist Madu Onuorah and cease arresting journalists in connection with their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Armed police officers from Nigeria’s eastern Enugu and Ebonyi states arrested Onuorah, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Global Upfront Newspapers, at his home…
Nigerian police detain, charge two journalists for WhatsApp messages
On October 13, 2022, police officers at Ilorin, the capital of the southern Kwara State, detained Abdulrasheed Akogun with his brother Dare Akogun on criminal charges for comments they posted in a popular WhatsApp group titled “Kwara Commission,” according to a copy of the charge sheet reviewed by CPJ and Ibrahim Sheriff Gold, a Fresh…
Nigerian police arrest newspaper distributor in place of journalist in hiding
Abuja, August 19, 2022—Authorities in Nigeria should immediately drop any criminal libel investigation into journalist Ifreke Nseowo or TheMail Newspaper and pay damages to the newspaper distributor whom they illegally detained to compel Nseowo to appear for questioning, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Friday, August 12, police officers in the southern Akwa Ibom State…
Two Enugu state broadcaster journalists abducted, beaten while covering Nigerian elections
Abuja, March 16, 2022 — Nigerian authorities should investigate the recent attack and brief abduction of journalists Fredrick Nnaji and Chigozie Nwafor, hold those responsible to account, and ensure all journalists can cover the local elections safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On February 23, four unidentified men attacked and briefly abducted Nnaji,…
In election year, Nigeria’s press feeling the pressure
“Nobody is safe. Not the voter, not the journalist, not anybody!” The fears of Femi Adesina, president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, is echoed by stakeholders and observers of Nigeria’s general election. Amid the tension in the run up to presidential and federal parliamentary elections on March 28, and governor and state parliamentary elections…
Nigeria police detain, charge journalists for reporting on oil tycoon
Nigerian police arrested Emmanuel Fateman, assistant editor of the Abuja-based National Waves magazine, and Joseph Jolayemi, a graphics editor for the magazine, on December 16, 2014, and held them without charge for more than two months, according to news reports.
Government official publicly whips Nigerian journalist
An identified State Security Service agent publicly flogged a reporter on July 3, 2013, while he was on an official visit to the Benue State Government House to deliver a press invitation to the state governor’s chief of staff, according to news reports.
Three journalists briefly detained in Nigeria
Four men in plainclothes claiming to be police officers briefly detained three journalists inside an office of a college in Aka Offot, a suburb of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state, on February 6, 2013, according to local journalists and news reports. The journalists were reporting on allegations of mismanagement at the federal government-run…
Nigerian journalist wins landmark court victory
“If a journalist can’t fight for his own right, then he has no responsibility to fight for others,” Desmond Utomwen, a senior correspondent with TheNews Magazine/PM News, told me after a High Court judge on October 4 awarded him 100 million naira (US$637,000) in special damages from the Nigeria Police Force and Guarantee Trust Bank…
In Nigeria, soldiers beat journalist covering demolition
Nigerian soldiers beat Leadership Newspapers reporter David-Chyddy Eleke, confiscated his camera, and arrested him for taking pictures of the demolition of buildings in Awka, in Anambra State in Nigeria’s southeast region on September 6, 2012, according to local journalists and news reports.