Top Stories
Nigerian journalists attacked, threatened while covering Bayelsa, Kogi selections
Nigerian authorities should investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the harassment of journalists working to cover the November 16 gubernatorial and federal assembly elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Armed men threatened and harassed reporters, security forces barred journalists from entering electoral buildings, and demonstrators threw stones at reporters trying to cover the elections, according to news reports and journalists who spoke to CPJ.
The elections in these two states followed nationwide elections in February, which were also marred by violence against journalists, as CPJ reported at the time.
“Journalists play an indispensable role in the conduct of credible elections and should never be the subject of threats, violence, or harassment,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator, from Washington, D.C. “Nigerian authorities must investigate all allegations made by journalists about interference in their work covering the November 16 elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.”
In Kogi state, Chinedu Asadu, a reporter with the privately owned The Cable online newspaper, told CPJ in a phone call that police officers seized his cell phone for 15 minutes when he attempted to take photos of a politician giving money to women waiting to cast their votes. After police returned his phone, Asadu said another officer made threatening comments, and he feared the officer would harm him, so he left the polling place.
Lolafunke Ogunlolu, a journalist with the privately owned Africa Independent Television broadcaster, told CPJ in a phone call that a group of armed men threatened to beat her after they saw her film them assaulting a woman at a polling station in Aiyetorogbede, Kogi state.
Ogunlolu said the men, whose identities she could not determine, demanded she delete all the pictures and videos she took of them. Ogunlolu said one man was about to hit her and take her phone when another stopped him after recognizing Ogunlolu as a reporter with the station.
Two journalists with the privately owned Splash FM radio station, Tobi Kusimo and David Bello, told CPJ in phone conversations that a group of demonstrators in Aiyetoro Gbede, a town in Kogi state, threw stones at their van when they tried to interview a polling officer. The journalists said they fled after demonstrators broke their rear windshield and otherwise damaged their vehicle, and appeared angry enough to kill them.
“If we had waited for two additional seconds, only God knows what would have happened,” Bello told CPJ.
In a separate case, Sam Egwu, a journalist with the privately owned newspaper The Nation, and Sunday Amachi, a reporter with the government-owned Kogi State Radio broadcaster, told CPJ via phone that a group of demonstrators in Anyigba, in Kogi state, surrounded their car while they drove to a polling place and threw stones at their vehicle.
“In fact, they destroyed our vehicle. It was a miracle we left that place unhurt,” said Egwu.
Egwu and Amachi told CPJ that protesters alleging election interference barricaded all exit routes and surrounded their car. Protesters climbed on their car in an attempt to force the journalists out, but the demonstrators dispersed after security forces fired their weapons, Egwu said.
In Bayelsa state, four unidentified individuals wielding canes and bottles intercepted Adejumor Kabir, a reporter with the Premium Times newspaper, while he was traveling to the main office of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, he told CPJ via phone. The individuals forced his driver to leave, and drove Kabir to an isolated area in Opolo, in Yenagoa, the state capital, where they interrogated him for two hours, he told CPJ. Kabir said his abductors had mistaken him for a government official and, after questioning and accusing him of manipulating election results, they released him.
Kabir then traveled to the Independent National Electoral Commission office to cover the collation of the results, but police blocked him and other reporters from entering the building, even though they identified themselves as journalists, Kabir said. He said the officers told the journalists that they were working on orders from above not to admit members of the press.
CPJ’s calls and text messages to Oluwole Ozassi-Uzi, the Independent National Electoral Commission spokesperson, went unanswered. The head of voter education in Bayelsa State, Wilfred Ifogah, told journalists that security officials “misunderstood INEC instructions” when they bared reporters from entering the commission’s office, according to a report by Premium Times.
In a text message to CPJ, Nigerian police spokesperson Frank Mba said he was not aware of any assaults on journalists and said, “The safety and wellbeing of journalists and media practitioners generally was of paramount importance to the Nigeria Police Force.”
Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo South Senatorial District have endorsed a member of the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The endorsement was announced on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Alice Hall, Ibadan, with party leaders, stakeholders, local government chairmen and state executive members from the nine local government areas in attendance.
The councils represented at the meeting are Ibadan North, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North and Ido.
The stakeholders expressed satisfaction with Oseni’s aspiration, describing it as timely, credible and anchored on tested leadership and grassroots appeal.
Those present at the meeting included Chief Timothy Jolaoso (Ibarapa East); Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe (Ido); Chief Abdulrauf Bello (Ido); Alhaji Muili Oluokun (Ibadan North-West); Alhaji Mufutau Adisa (Ibadan South-East); Alhaji Bello Oladeji (Ibadan North); Prince Gbade Lana (Ibadan North-East); Engr. Olatunji (Ibadan South-West); Comrade Wale Gbadamosi (Ibarapa North); and Alhaja Moji Adetona (Ibarapa Central).
Other party officials in attendance were the senatorial chairman, Alhaji Mojeed Adebayo; the secretary, Fatai Adesina; Welfare Officer, Sunday Babalola; Deputy Women Leader, Alhaja Fatimah Hassan; Auditor, Alhaja Tinu Adigun; Youth Leader, Lekan Adebayo; Ex-Officio member, Kola Amoo; Treasurer, Lateef Ajiboye; and Senatorial Youth Leader, Olalekan Olowe.
A chieftain of the party in Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Shina Alabi, moved the motion for the lawmaker’s endorsement, which was seconded and unanimously adopted by the stakeholders.
Alabi said Oseni’s decision to abide by President Bola Tinubu’s directive to step down his governorship ambition for the senatorial race underscored his loyalty and commitment to party unity.
He said, “Hon. Oseni has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare of the people. His leadership style is inclusive, responsive and development-driven. We are convinced that his emergence as the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District will strengthen the party’s chances and guarantee effective representation.”
He also urged party members to remain united and rally behind credible aspirants with proven capacity and electoral value.
In his remarks, Hon. Aderemi Oseni said his decision to pursue the senatorial seat followed the presidential directives, noting that he accepted the decision in the interest of party cohesion, progress and stability. He recalled that he had earlier prepared for the Oyo South senatorial race in the 2023 general elections, having already purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms as part of an arrangement reached, before stepping down following appeals by party leaders.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the party must close ranks to reclaim political dominance in the senatorial district.
According to him, “There is a huge task ahead, especially with several House of Representatives seats in the district currently held by the opposition. We must work together, mobilise effectively and secure victory for our party and leader, President Bola Tinubu”.
Oseni thanked party leaders and stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his commitment to advancing the interests of Oyo South Senatorial District.
The meeting also had representatives from all nine local government areas, with about 10 leaders from each council in attendance.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.
An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.
However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.
He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.
Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.
He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”
The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.
He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.
Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.
“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.
Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.
Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.
But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.
“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.
He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.
The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.
“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.
Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.
He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.
The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
-
News1 week agoOseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination
-
Politics3 days ago2027: Oseni kicks off Oyo South Senate bid, rallies support for one million Tinubu votes
-
Health1 week agoOyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts
-
Crime & Court1 week agoJoshua crash: Driver faces fresh charges as court adjourns trial