Press Freedom Under Threat as Nearly 70 Journalists Arrested in Nigeria in 2024

November 22, 2024 – Nigeria –

Lead Advocacy at Gatefield and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) released alarming figures: nearly 70 journalists were arrested across Nigeria in 2024, double the number from the previous year. Shirley Ewang, spokesperson for Lead Advocacy, expressed deep concern during an Abuja event that highlighted a troubling atmosphere of intimidation that’s silencing journalists and curtailing public discourse.

Christiana Longe of CJID stressed that despite constitutional protections under Sections 39 and 22 of the Nigerian Constitution, press freedom is under relentless pressure. She warned that daily threats, arbitrary arrests, and legal harassment are creating a chilling effect across newsrooms, undermining the media’s watchdog role in democracy.

Blueprint notes that these arrests coincide with a wider hostile climate for Nigerian reporters. Journalists covering politically sensitive protests—such as the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations—have been arrested or assaulted by security forces. For instance, photojournalist Jide Oyekunle of Daily Independent was detained while reporting in Abuja. This incident epitomizes the dangers faced by media personnel documenting government accountability and civil rights abuses.

Civil society organizations, press unions, and media rights groups have criticized the escalating use of arrests as a tool of repression. They argue that such tactics not only threaten individual careers but also restrict public access to vital information and diminish collective resistance against wrongdoing.

Ewang issued a call to action, reminding Nigerians that “[the] most powerful force in any democracy is its citizens” and urging continued vigilance against pressure on the media. She encouraged journalists, advocacy groups, and legal defenders to unite in safeguarding freedom of expression and ensuring that governmental overreach does not go unchecked.

The report portrays a media environment increasingly strained by legal and extralegal tactics aimed at deterring independent reporting. As these worries intensify, advocates emphasize the urgent need for concerted efforts—both domestically and internationally—to uphold constitutional protections and shield journalists from future arrests.

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‘Press freedom under threat as 70 journalists arrested in 2024’