By Damilola Abiola
Attacks on journalists, media organisations and citizens surged across Nigeria in 2025, with no perpetrator held accountable, deepening concerns over a shrinking space for free expression in Africa’s most populous nation, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) said on Thursday.
In its annual report on freedom of expression, the rights group documented 86 incidents ranging from arrests and physical assaults to killings, kidnappings and the shutdown of a media outlet, describing the trend as a “reign of impunity” that continues to embolden violators.
The 147-page report recorded attacks across 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, noting that none of the cases led to a successful investigation or prosecution, even where the acts amounted to criminal offences.
Arrests and detentions were the most common method used to suppress dissent, accounting for 38 cases, or more than 44% of the incidents documented. Physical violence followed closely, with 21 cases of assault and battery, representing about a quarter of the total.
Two deaths were also recorded during the year, one journalist killed while on duty and a woman murdered over allegations of blasphemy, alongside one kidnapping and the closure of a media outlet.
Security agencies were identified as the main perpetrators. The Nigeria Police Force alone was responsible for 41 incidents, nearly half of all cases, while the Department of State Services (DSS) accounted for about 7%, meaning the two agencies were linked to more than half of all violations.
Lagos and Abuja recorded the highest number of incidents, with 16 and 14 cases respectively.
The report highlighted what it described as the growing “weaponisation” of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act to target journalists and government critics, as well as the increasing use of digital surveillance and spyware to monitor reporters. It also said security agencies often failed to intervene in attacks by non-state actors, even when present, and were actively involved in the suppression of peaceful protests, where journalists were frequently targeted while reporting.
In a preface to the report, MRA Executive Director Edetaen Ojo said Nigeria’s media continued to face deeply rooted political, legal, economic and social challenges despite rapid changes driven by digital technology.
“The persistent culture of impunity remains one of the gravest threats to media freedom in Nigeria, emboldening perpetrators and sometimes deepening fear and self-censorship within the media community,” Ojo said.
MRA urged the federal government to ensure prompt and transparent investigations into all attacks on journalists and citizens, and to make the outcomes public. It also called for clear directives to security agencies prohibiting harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests of journalists and individuals expressing themselves peacefully, particularly online.
The group further recommended that Nigeria establish a national mechanism dedicated to the safety of journalists, in line with the U.N. Plan of Action on the safety of journalists, including early warning systems and rapid response measures.