On the morning of 25 February, a Nigerian journalist, Dayo Aiyetan, was attacked in Abuja while covering the 2023 presidential election. Mr Aiyetan, the Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), was beaten, his clothes torn and his phone, car key, purse and a pouch containing his debit cards were taken away by thugs. His offence was recording a disturbance at the election field.
On that same day, Haruna Muhammed, the publisher of Wikki Times, was also harassed while videotaping people protesting against Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State. For several days, Mr Muhammad was detained by the police on the order of the governor. Mr Muhammad was later released on bail.
These incidents are among the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Nigeria as violence against the press escalated to an unprecedented level. Between January and August, 74 press attacks were recorded, according to data from Press Tracker – a record high that overtakes the 2019 record of 72 and marks another grim milestone in a deteriorating media landscape.
