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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigerian Guild of Editors have called on the Federal Government and state governors to urgently protect journalists and address insecurity and impunity across the country.
The groups also urged the government of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyseom Wike, to urgently ensure press freedom and bring an end to the escalating insecurity and widespread human rights violations across several parts of northern Nigeria.
They made the call in a joint statement issued on Sunday in Lagos to mark World Press Freedom Day.
The statement followed a conference and interactive session on “the Role of the Media in Promoting People’s Rights, Accountability, and Access to Justice in the Context of Growing Insecurity in Nigeria,” held on Saturday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
SERAP and NGE said, “protecting journalists and safeguarding information integrity are central drivers of peace, security, and democratic stability.
“Any credible peace, recovery, or security strategy in Nigeria must integrate support for free, independent, and pluralistic media alongside humanitarian, institutional, and economic responses.
“Serious concerns about the scale and persistence of killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced displacement, and destruction of property across several parts of northern Nigeria.”
These patterns, they said, reflect systemic failures to prevent foreseeable harm, protect communities, investigate violations, prosecute perpetrators and their sponsors, and ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims.
“Such grave violations constitute serious breaches of Nigeria’s obligations under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.
“The humanitarian consequences remain severe: communities destroyed, livelihoods lost, and victims left without effective remedies. The persistence of impunity continues to erode public trust and weaken democratic governance,” the statement added.
The groups stressed that Nigerian authorities at all levels have constitutional and international obligations to protect journalists and end insecurity.
They said the Tinubu administration, state governors, and the FCT minister must “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, and remedy human rights violations, including by ensuring justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators and their sponsors.”
They also noted that the UNESCO theme for the 2026 World Press Freedom Day Conference, “Shaping a Future of Peace,” underscores the importance of a free and independent media to peace and development.
The groups warned that “information violence often precedes physical violence,” stressing that protecting journalists is essential to addressing insecurity and strengthening democracy.
They recalled that Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution mandates the media to hold government accountable, while Section 39 guarantees freedom of expression.
SERAP and NGE called on authorities to guarantee press freedom, protect civic space, and ensure prompt, independent investigations into violations, including prosecution of perpetrators and compensation for victims.
They also urged improved transparency in security operations, the creation of public reporting systems to track incidents, and collaboration with international bodies, including UN and African Commission rapporteurs, to investigate human rights violations.
The groups further called on the National Assembly to exercise its oversight powers by convening a public hearing on insecurity and attacks on journalists.
They also urged the international community to intensify pressure on Nigerian authorities to take concrete steps to end insecurity and impunity.
Speaking at the event, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) said, “Entire communities are being destroyed in several parts of the north while perpetrators operate with little or no consequences. Impunity is not just a failure of justice—it is a driver of further violence.”
According to him, “any government that cannot protect its people—or refuses to hold perpetrators accountable—undermines its own legitimacy. Journalists are not the enemy of the State—they are essential partners in exposing abuse, preventing violence, and strengthening democracy.”
The event was attended by senior media professionals, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, who expressed commitment to promoting the implementation of the recommendations.
World Press Freedom Day 2026 is celebrated on May 3. This year focuses on the critical role of independent journalism, the safety of journalists, and the impact of artificial intelligence on information integrity.
