By Stellamaries Amuwa, Abuja
More than 25 Nigerian journalists have called on President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end his administration’s war against free speech.
This was made known during a stateholders meeting/public dialogue and screening jointly organized by Gatefield, a public strategy and advocacy group, and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in Abuja.
‘Cost of Truth’ Documentary exposes the government’s war on
journalists and civic actors. Since 2023, more than 128 journalists have been detained, subjected to harassment, and faced legal threats simply for doing their jobs. This includes 68 documented attacks during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024, where journalists were targeted with violence,
arrests, and intimidation tactics.
These sober statistics were brought to light during the
screening of Gatefield’s Cost of Truth documentary and a civic space dialogue on the state of
free speech in Nigeria. Through its expository style and use of personal narratives, the documentary highlighted the
human cost of Nigeria’s repressive laws, including Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, and state abuses that continue to stifle dissent and silence critical voices.
Meanwhile, the Cost of Truth documentary used real stories and evidence to show the struggle for free speech in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need to change laws and protect the rights of Nigerians.
Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, stated that, “Press freedom in Nigeria is under siege, with nearly 70 journalists arrested this year double the figure earlier in the year. Citizens, too, feel silenced, as daily threats and intimidation create an atmosphere of fear. But history shows that collective action works. From #FreeDanielOjukwu to resisting the persecution of
EndBadGovernance protesters, we’ve proven that together, we can confront and overcome
these challenges to our democracy.
“The most powerful force in any democracy is its citizens. Even when the system fails us, we
must remain intentional about protecting our rights, defending the rights of others, and securing
our future. I know many of us feel weary and disenchanted, but we cannot afford to give in to
fatigue or despair. Our collective strength is what drives meaningful change, and now, more than ever, we must stand firm, said T sema Ede, a social justice defender.”
Similarly, Christiana Longe, Project Manager, Media Freedom, at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), highlighted the critical role of a free press in a democracy, as
protected by Sections 39 and 22 of Nigeria’s Constitution. Despite these safeguards, press freedom in Nigeria faces relentless threats.
Earlier, Adebayo Aare, Project Associate, Media Freedom,
at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in his paper presentation
demonstrated the severity of these attacks using Press Attack Tracker, a tool that tracks and
documents incidents against journalists nationwide.
Gatefield is a public strategy and media company committed to driving social change through
impactful advocacy campaigns.
