A new report by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has raised alarm over what it describes as a disturbing escalation in attacks against journalists and civic actors under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In the report, titled “The Onslaught Intensifies: A Mid-term Assessment Report on Media Freedom under the Tinubu Administration,” MRA documented at least 141 incidents of attacks on journalists, media professionals, and citizens between May 29, 2023, and May 29, 2025.
The group, in a statement signed by its Communications Officer, Mr Idowu Adewale, said most of these violations stemmed from the misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the actions of security forces.
According to the report, Nigeria Police operatives were responsible for 61 attacks, representing over 43 percent of the total violations, while the Department of State Services (DSS) was responsible for seven. Combined, both agencies were implicated in nearly half of the documented violations during the period under review.
“The Tinubu Administration bears legal responsibility for all of these incidents,” MRA said, citing Principle 20(5) of the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, which holds states accountable for rights violations by law enforcement and security agents.
In a foreword to the report, MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said media freedom in Nigeria is increasingly under siege through the enforcement of repressive laws, politically motivated sanctions, illegal detentions, surveillance, and censorship.
“Journalists are being silenced through arrests, regulatory crackdowns, and targeted surveillance,” Mr. Ojo said. “This report is not just a criticism; it’s a critical documentation of how this government is undermining constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.”
A key concern in the report is the persistent abuse of Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, which law enforcement agents frequently deploy to detain journalists and critics for allegedly offensive online posts. Among recent victims, MRA listed Emmanuel Uti, journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Destiny Ekhorutomuen, Edo-based blogger, four staff members of Informant247 in Kwara State, Dele Farotimi, lawyer and human rights advocate
The MRA noted that some of the accused faced excessive bail conditions, while others were held in detention for prolonged periods without trial.
The crackdown has sparked international concern, MRA said, pointing to a joint statement by the diplomatic missions of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, and Finland in June 2025. The statement condemned the Nigerian government’s abuse of the Cybercrime Act and demanded reforms to protect freedom of expression.
The report also cited increasing repression of peaceful protests, with protesters – including minors – charged with treason, a capital offense. Journalists covering such protests have been arrested, assaulted, and had their equipment confiscated or destroyed.
“No single perpetrator has been held accountable,” MRA noted, adding that attacks on the press and free expression are becoming institutionalized under the current administration.
Speaking at the launch of the report, MRA’s Communications Officer, Mr. Idowu Adewale, described the development as “deeply ironic,” given President Tinubu’s background as a former pro-democracy activist and media proprietor.
“President Tinubu now presides over an administration increasingly defined by repression of the very freedoms he once championed,” Mr. Adewale said.
MRA urges the media, civil society, judiciary, lawmakers, and the international community to increase pressure on the government to implement reforms that safeguard press freedom, digital rights, and democratic governance in Nigeria.
