Ahead of
the off-cycle elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as the next
general election, the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in
Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme II convened stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday to
deliberate on media protection and the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
The
forum, titled Stakeholders’ Engagement on Media Protection &
Journalist Safety, formed part of ongoing efforts under the EU-SDGN
Programme II to strengthen democratic accountability, civic participation and
freedom of expression.
The
engagement brought together media professionals, civil society actors, policy
advocates and institutional stakeholders to examine documented cases of attacks
against journalists and discuss practical strategies for improving protection
mechanisms in the country’s evolving political and digital environment.
Participants
at the meeting reviewed findings from the monitoring and documentation of
attacks against media professionals, with discussions centring on
accountability, protection of civic space and institutional responses to
threats against press freedom during elections.
Stakeholders
noted that journalists in Nigeria continue to face intimidation, harassment and
physical attacks, particularly while covering elections and politically
sensitive events. During the 2023 general election, several media
organisations and press freedom groups reported incidents involving assaults on
journalists, seizure of equipment and obstruction
of election coverage in different parts of the country. Similar
concerns also emerged during recent off-cycle governorship elections,
where some reporters covering polling units and collation centres reportedly
faced threats from political supporters and security operatives.
Speakers
at the Abuja engagement stressed that attacks on journalists not only endanger
media professionals but also weaken public confidence in democratic processes
by limiting citizens’ access to credible information.
The
engagement was designed to deepen stakeholder collaboration around policy
dialogue, digital rights and regulatory frameworks affecting media practice and
freedom of expression in Nigeria.
The
consensus among stakeholders was the need for coordinated advocacy and
balanced, rights-based governance processes that support safer professional
environments for journalists and other media actors.
Participants
also called for sustained cooperation among government institutions, the media
and civil society organisations to strengthen transparency, improve
accountability for attacks against journalists and safeguard press
freedom ahead of future elections in the country.