Police, politicians responsible for 70% of journalist harassment cases – WSCIJ

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has blamed the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and politicians for over 70 per cent of harassment and risks faced by Nigerian journalists, particularly during elections and civic demonstrations.

The Centre’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Motunrayo Alaka, presented these findings on Wednesday during the 2nd Edition of the Civic Space Guard Conference, focusing on AI, press freedom, civic space, and the future of investigative reporting in Nigeria, held in Abuja.

“For perpetrators of infringement, we see that politicians and the police are responsible for 70 per cent of cases from what we researched,” she stated. “It’s an aberration when institutions overseeing elections also harass journalists in the line of duty.”