Amnesty International Condemns Wike's Violent Remarks

Amnesty International Nigeria issued a condemnation of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, for his comments made during a live broadcast on Saturday, where he suggested that journalist Seun Okinbaloy should be "shot." The organization characterized Wike's remarks as reckless and violent, warning that such language could incite attacks on journalists and undermine press freedom. They emphasized that Wike's statement violated broadcast standards and posed a risk of normalizing violence against media practitioners.

Amnesty International called for Wike to immediately withdraw his statement and issue a public apology. The controversy arose during a media parliamentary session in Abuja, where Okinbaloy raised concerns about the political positioning of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike later clarified that his comments were not intended to incite physical harm but were meant to express frustration with Okinbaloy's political commentary.