MRA Urges FG to Enforce Court Judgment on Attacks Against Journalists

Our Reporter 

The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the Federal Government to urgently comply with a Federal High Court judgment directing it to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of attacks on journalists across Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday to mark World Press Freedom Day 2026, MRA expressed concern over what it described as the government’s failure to implement the February 16, 2024 ruling, warning that the delay is fueling impunity and emboldening further violations against media practitioners.

MRA’s Programme Officer, Ayomide Eweje, said the state of media freedom in Nigeria remains troubling, citing persistent attacks, harassment, and an increasingly restrictive environment for independent journalism.

She noted that over the past year, journalists have continued to face intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detention, and physical assaults, particularly those reporting on governance, corruption, and public accountability.

Eweje recalled that the judgment, delivered by Inyang Ekwo, followed a suit filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation by lawyer Mojirayo Ogunlana on behalf of MRA. 

The court granted eight declaratory reliefs and ordered the Federal Government to take concrete steps to prevent attacks on journalists, investigate and prosecute offenders, and ensure victims have access to effective remedies.

Despite the ruling, MRA said accountability for such attacks remains rare, allowing a culture of impunity to persist and weakening public confidence in the rule of law.

The organisation also raised concerns over the alleged misuse of laws, including the Cybercrime Act, to suppress dissent and target journalists, bloggers, and media platforms under the pretext of national security or public order.

It further highlighted economic challenges facing the media industry, noting that financial instability, declining revenues, and political and commercial pressures are undermining editorial independence and limiting investigative journalism.

MRA stressed that a free, independent, and pluralistic media is critical to nation-building, urging the government to end harassment and unlawful detention of journalists, ensure transparent investigations into attacks, and review laws that conflict with constitutional and international guarantees of freedom of expression.

The group also called for full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to enhance access to information and strengthen democratic governance.

Eweje urged security agencies, regulators, and political actors to respect press freedom, particularly during elections and in public interest reporting.

She commended Nigerian journalists for their resilience, noting that their commitment remains vital to safeguarding democratic values and citizens’ rights to information.