Media-security tensions in Nigeria need dialogue, not confrontation - IPI president
Premium Times published an academic paper by Musikilu Mojeed (IPI Nigeria president) presented at NUJ National Security Summit, analyzing tensions between Nigerian media and security agencies over national security versus press freedom. The paper cites constitutional tensions: Section 39 guarantees press freedom while Section 22 assigns media duty to hold government accountable, conflicting with security agencies' need for confidentiality in operations.
These tensions affect all Nigerians as they impact access to vital information and national safety. When media publishes security-sensitive reports, agencies may see threats to operations; when agencies restrict reporting, media sees transparency violations. The paper argues such conflicts are inevitable in democracy but manageable through cooperation since both institutions serve the same society seeking peace, stability and development.
The paper proposes four solutions: institutionalizing dialogue through background briefings and off-record engagements; resolving disputes via accountability mechanisms (corrections requests, ombudsman, judicial remedies); avoiding coercive responses in favor of due process; and media strengthening ethics/fact-checking. Ultimately, it frames media and security as partners, not adversaries, in nation-building.
With journalist arrests and security operations frequently making headlines, which approach do you believe would better serve Nigeria's interests: institutionalized dialogue between media and security agencies, or stronger legal protections for press freedom?