The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have called on the Federal Government, state governors, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to protect journalists and urgently address worsening insecurity and human rights violations across several parts of northern Nigeria, including Benue, Borno, Kwara, Plateau, and Sokoto states.
The call 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 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, jointly organised by SERAP and NGE to mark World Press Freedom Day.
In a joint statement, the groups said “protecting journalists and safeguarding information integrity are central drivers of peace, security, and democratic stability.”
They added that “any credible peace, recovery, or security strategy in Nigeria must integrate support for free, independent, and pluralistic media alongside humanitarian, institutional, and economic responses.”
They expressed “serious concerns about the scale and persistence of killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced displacement, and destruction of property across several parts of northern Nigeria,” noting that “thousands have reportedly been killed and millions displaced, with rural communities repeatedly targeted and women and children bearing the brunt of the violence and insecurity.”
According to them, “these patterns 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,” adding that “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.”
They warned that “the humanitarian consequences remain severe: communities destroyed, livelihoods lost, and victims left without effective remedies,” stressing that “the persistence of impunity continues to erode public trust and weaken democratic governance.”
SERAP and NGE stated that Nigerian authorities at all levels have binding constitutional and international obligations to protect journalists and end insecurity and impunity, adding that the Tinubu administration, state governors, and the FCT minister must exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, and remedy human rights violations, while ensuring justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators and their sponsors.
They noted that UNESCO’s theme for the 2026 World Press Freedom Day Conference, “Shaping a Future of Peace,” underscores “the centrality of a free, independent, and viable media ecosystem to peace, security, and sustainable development.”
The groups warned that “the erosion of independent journalism and civic information ecosystems directly contributes to governance breakdown,” adding that when journalists are targeted, “corruption thrives, accountability declines, and misinformation spreads,” while “information violence often precedes physical violence, deepening insecurity and undermining public trust in state institutions.”
They stressed that “protecting journalists in Nigeria is therefore not a peripheral issue but a core requirement for addressing insecurity and advancing democratic governance.”
Recalling constitutional provisions, they said Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution mandates the media to hold government accountable, while Section 39 guarantees freedom of expression, adding that authorities must not only refrain from interference but actively protect journalists and ensure a safe environment for reporting on insecurity and human rights violations.
They added that addressing insecurity requires more than reactive responses, insisting it demands sustained commitment to transparency, accountability, human rights, and the rule of law, which must be embedded in governance and security frameworks to restore public confidence and break cycles of violence.
They called on the Federal Government, state authorities, and the FCT minister to guarantee press freedom and expression, protect civic space and journalists, promote victim-centred ethical reporting, and publicly recognise killings, abductions, and destruction of property as grave human rights violations that cannot be justified.
They further urged authorities to ensure prompt, thorough, and independent investigations into all violations, identify and prosecute perpetrators and their sponsors, and provide effective remedies for victims, including compensation, restitution, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition, while improving transparency in security operations and fully implementing constitutional and international obligations.
The groups also called for the creation of public reporting systems to track incidents and responses, and for all institutions to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil human rights, while urging Nigeria to invite relevant UN Special Rapporteurs and African Commission Special Rapporteurs to conduct independent fact-finding missions on insecurity and human rights violations in northern Nigeria, whose findings should guide accountability and reforms.
They further urged the National Assembly to exercise its oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution by convening an urgent public hearing on insecurity and attacks on journalists, including scrutiny of security agencies and the strengthening of legal safeguards for accountability and media freedom.
They also called on the international community to intensify pressure on Nigerian authorities to end insecurity and impunity, protect people, safeguard civic space, and ensure that media organisations operate freely without fear of reprisals.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, said at the event: “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.”
He added that “any government that cannot protect its people—or refuses to hold perpetrators accountable—undermines its own legitimacy,” stressing that journalists “are not the enemy of the State—they are essential partners in exposing abuse, preventing violence, and strengthening democracy.”
Participants at the interactive session, including senior media practitioners and civil society stakeholders, expressed commitment to supporting the implementation of the recommendations.
