ON THE OCCASION of World Press Freedom Day, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has renewed its call for comprehensive protections and improved welfare for journalists across Nigeria, warning that a society that silences its media professionals risks undermining the very foundations of democracy.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, YZ Ya’u, the organisation reaffirmed its commitment to the defence of press freedom and the safety of journalists, emphasising that a free and independent media remains indispensable to democratic governance, accountability, and informed citizen participation.
Yet, despite these fundamental principles, CITAD noted with deep concern that journalists in Nigeria continue to face a troubling pattern of harassment, arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, and intimidation simply for carrying out their professional duties. Such actions, CITAD argued, not only violate individual rights but also erode public trust in state institutions.
CITAD strongly condemned what it described as growing cases of repression against journalists by both state and non-state actors, and called on authorities to respect and uphold press freedom as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards, including those advanced by the United Nations.
The organisation also stressed that no democracy can thrive when those who report on it are made to live in fear.
Beyond physical safety, CITAD placed a sharp focus on the economic and professional precarity facing many media professionals. Poor remuneration, precarious working conditions, and an institutional lack of protection leave many journalists vulnerable to undue influence, compromising their independence and weakening the quality of public discourse.
Addressing these welfare challenges, the statement said, is critical to strengthening Nigeria’s media landscape and ensuring that journalists can operate without fear of coercion or financial desperation.
In an age of rapid digital transformation, CITAD also linked press freedom inextricably to digital rights. The ability to access and share information online without fear of surveillance, censorship, or digital harassment is central to promoting knowledge and civic engagement. Increasing restrictions on the digital sphere – including online threats and digital repression – threaten not only press freedom but the broader right to information itself.
To reverse these trends, CITAD issued an urgent three-part demand: an immediate end to the harassment and detention of journalists; improved welfare, working conditions, and institutional protection for media practitioners; and stronger safeguards for digital rights, including freedom from online surveillance and censorship.
“A society that silences its journalists risks weakening its democracy,” Ya’u noted, concluding with a pledge of solidarity to journalists working under increasingly difficult circumstances across the country; stating: “CITAD stands in solidarity with journalists across Nigeria.”
