Enugu, Nigeria – July 2, 2025 — Free speech and press freedom don dey suffer serious attack for Nigeria as police invite one PUNCH reporter, Raphael Ede, over one story wey e never even publish.
Di invitation come from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annexe for Enugu. Police claim say dem dey investigate matter wey involve conspiracy, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and conduct wey fit cause wahala, and say Ede name dey inside.
But many human rights groups don vex. Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network and Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre don send petition go police headquarters for Abuja, say make dem stop to intimidate journalists wey dey do dia work.
This no be new matter. For 2024, police invite Premium Times reporter Emmanuel Agbo over another unpublished story wey relate to land palava.
Journalists like: Madu Onuorah (Globalupfront Newspapers), Segun Olatunji (FirstNews Online), Daniel Ojukwu (Foundation for Investigative Journalism) don face arrest, harassment and detention for simply doing dia job.
According to International Press Centre, Nigeria record over 150 attacks against journalists between 2016 and 2020. For 2024 alone, another 110 attacks happen, based on wetin the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development track — mostly under di excuse of enforcing Cybersecurity Act.
Media groups like Nigerian Guild of Editors don talk say di Cybersecurity Act suppose fight cybercrime, no be to silence media wey dey operate inside democracy.
Sadly, all these abuses dey happen under President Bola Tinubu, wey don always talk say e be democrat. But how democracy go take stand if press no fit ask question or check government? Make di President remember say na journalists help raise voice wey lift am into power.
Freedom of expression na strong pillar for democracy. For example, when US President Donald Trump expel CNN journalist Jim Acosta for 2018, di Supreme Court order make dem return am immediately.
Anybody wey vex say journalist don lie or spoil im name get legal way to report — either through court or by going to di National Media Complaints Commission, wey people dey call National Ombudsman.
Police and other security people suppose calm down. Dem no get right to dey go beyond dia power. Nigerians must defend free speech and make sure say journalism no become crime.
