IPI Nigeria Urges Tinubu to Address Media Assaults

IPI Nigeria has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the actions of Niger State Governor Bago, which they claim infringe on press freedom. This plea follows the reported assault of Musa Mikail, a senior reporter for NTA, during a Ramadan Iftar event on March 13, 2026.

Security personnel instructed by Governor Bago's Chief Security Officer (CSO) forcibly removed Mikail from the venue, despite his professional duties as a journalist. This incident is part of a broader pattern of hostility towards the media, including previous actions by the Niger State Police Command, which detained a reporter from Prestige FM for alleged defamation in November 2023.

Furthermore, Governor Bago has been implicated in the arbitrary closure of Badeggi FM in May 2025 and has faced accusations of complicity in kidnappings. IPI Nigeria has urged the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate these incidents and sanction those responsible for the assaults on journalists.