SERAP, NGE Urge Tinubu, Governors to Protect Journalists, Tackle Insecurity

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LAGOS, May 3, 2026 — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigerian Guild of Editors on Sunday called on President Bola Tinubu, state governors, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to urgently protect journalists, safeguard press freedom, and address rising insecurity and impunity across Nigeria.

The groups made the demand in a joint statement issued in Lagos to mark the 2026 World Press Freedom Day, following a conference and interactive session held on Saturday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.

They warned that escalating violence, particularly in northern Nigeria, including killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced displacement, and destruction of property, reflects systemic failures by authorities to prevent harm, protect communities, investigate violations, and prosecute perpetrators and their sponsors.

According to SERAP and NGE, protecting journalists and ensuring information integrity are critical to peace, security, and democratic stability, adding that any credible national security strategy must support a free, independent, and pluralistic media alongside humanitarian and institutional responses.

The groups said the continued violations constitute breaches of Nigeria’s obligations under the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

They noted that the humanitarian impact remains severe, with communities destroyed, livelihoods lost, and victims left without effective remedies, while persistent impunity continues to erode public trust and weaken governance.

The statement stressed that authorities at all levels have both constitutional and international obligations to protect journalists and ensure accountability, urging the Tinubu administration, governors, and the FCT minister to exercise due diligence in preventing, investigating, and remedying human rights abuses.

SERAP and NGE also called for prompt and independent investigations into attacks on journalists, prosecution of offenders, compensation for victims, improved transparency in security operations, and the establishment of public reporting systems to track incidents.

They further urged the National Assembly to hold a public hearing on insecurity and attacks on journalists as part of its oversight responsibilities, and called on the international community to increase pressure on Nigerian authorities to take concrete steps against insecurity and impunity.

Highlighting the theme of the 2026 World Press Freedom Day, “Shaping a Future of Peace,” the groups emphasised the role of a free and independent media in promoting peace and development, warning that information violence often precedes physical violence.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana said at the event that widespread destruction of communities in parts of northern Nigeria, coupled with lack of accountability, continues to fuel further violence and undermine government legitimacy.

He added that journalists play a vital role in exposing abuses, preventing violence, and strengthening democracy, stressing that failure to protect citizens or hold perpetrators accountable weakens the state.

The event was attended by media professionals, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders who pledged to advance the implementation of the recommendations.

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