Arresting journalists not the answer to media-security disputes, IPI tells Nigerian authorities

The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has called on security agencies to abandon the use of arrests, detention, and intimidation when resolving disputes with journalists. The organization insists that democratic societies possess adequate mechanisms to manage disagreements between the media and the state.

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Security without accountability risks secrecy and abuse, while freedom without security cannot be meaningfully sustained.

Musikilu Mojeed, President of IPI Nigeria and editor-in-chief of PREMIUM TIMES, addressed a security summit organized by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). He argued that tensions between journalists and security agencies should be managed through dialogue, professional accountability, and judicial processes, rather than coercive actions. The summit, held in collaboration with the State Security Service (SSS), was attended by government officials, including the Minister of Information and National Orientation.

Mojeed explained that conflicts often stem from inadequate communication, mistrust, and a failure to utilize existing dispute-resolution channels. He stressed that national security and press freedom should not be framed as competing interests, but rather as essential and mutually reinforcing pillars of good governance. "Security without accountability risks secrecy and abuse, while freedom without security cannot be meaningfully sustained," he stated.

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The task before democratic institutions is therefore not to eliminate tension, but to manage it responsibly.

The IPI Nigeria president highlighted that alternative dispute-resolution channels, such as dialogue platforms, self-regulatory media processes, professional accountability mechanisms, and the courts, are more effective than forceful actions. He acknowledged that tensions are inevitable due to differing institutional objectives but emphasized the responsibility of democratic institutions to manage these tensions responsibly.

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A society is strongest when its citizens are secured, informed and able to trust both institutions that protect them and institutions that hold power accountable.