The International Press Institute has announced a global campaign targeting the governors of Niger and Akwa Ibom States, Mohammed Umaru Bago and Umo Eno, as well as former Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun, over actions it says threaten press freedom in Nigeria.
IPI Nigeria President and Premium Times Editor-in-Chief Musikilu Mojeed made the disclosure Wednesday at the launch of the institute’s new Press Freedom Hub in Abuja.
The three individuals were earlier listed in IPI Nigeria’s “Book of Infamy” for conduct deemed hostile to media freedom.
Mojeed said the hub would serve as a secure base for advocacy, dialogue, policy engagement, and monitoring of media freedom in the country.
But he noted that persistent threats to journalists must temper any celebration.
IPI Nigeria had initially held back on a broader campaign after Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the institute’s 2025 annual conference, requested time to intervene and facilitate dialogue.
“Regrettably, no such action has followed,” Mojeed said. “The concerns that led to their inclusion remain valid, unaddressed, and ongoing.”
“Therefore, from this platform—the new home of press freedom advocacy—we are announcing the escalation of our efforts. IPI Nigeria will initiate a global campaign to hold these individuals accountable until concrete corrective steps are taken,” he added.
Mojeed said the decision was not taken lightly but stressed that “silence in the face of persistent violations is not an option.”
He described the Press Freedom Hub as more than a building, calling it “a statement that the defence of press freedom in Nigeria is entering a new phase—more coordinated, more visible, and more resolute.”
Mojeed urged government, civil society, media professionals, and the international community to partner IPI in building a free, safe, and independent media environment.
inaugurating the facility, MacArthur Foundation Africa Office Deputy Director Amina Salihu praised IPI Nigeria as “a dependable ally and partner,” and underlined the media’s role in sustaining democracy.
“The press is the information infrastructure that every democracy depends on. Without an independent media, democracy cannot endure,” she said.
Dignitaries at the event included former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, former Chief of Protocol Ambassador Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure, Media Trust Group CEO Ahmed Shekarau, and NatureNews Editor-in-Chief Aliu Akoshile, among others.
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