Tinubu Never Asked Me to Lie or Harass Journalists – Minister Idris
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says President Bola Tinubu has never directed him to lie, arrest or intimidate journalists over critical reporting.
Idris made the disclosure on Wednesday while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) led by the guild’s General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, and Deputy President, Sebastian Abu, in Abuja.
“There are times when the media stir tension, but President Tinubu has never asked me to twist the narrative, tell lies, arrest or harass those involved,” Idris said.
He described Tinubu as “a true democrat who respects the rule of law”, stressing that the federal government recognises the vital role of the media as the “fourth estate of the realm”.
The minister noted that he consistently engages key media stakeholders such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the NGE and the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria on national issues.
“I have always maintained that when we do well, acknowledge it; and when we don’t, criticise us constructively so we can improve,” he said.
Reaffirming the Tinubu administration’s commitment to press freedom, Idris cautioned against generalising isolated incidents as evidence of government attempts to muzzle the press.
He highlighted the president’s support for press freedom, citing UNESCO’s establishment of a Media Literacy Centre (MIL) at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja.
“The country is at the final stage of securing UNESCO’s ratification to host the centre,” Idris revealed. “This is a significant milestone. Once operational, the MIL Centre will attract stakeholders globally, boost media literacy, and combat fake news, misinformation and disinformation.”
Despite constitutional guarantees, press freedom in Nigeria faces increasing challenges. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) and international treaties protect freedom of expression, yet laws such as the Cybercrime Act are frequently deployed to prosecute journalists, raising fears of clampdowns on investigative reporting.
According to the Press Attack Tracker of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), 51 cases of press violations were recorded between May 2023 and June 2024, with another 90 incidents documented from July to October 2024. The report highlights growing concerns over surveillance, attacks, and arbitrary arrests of journalists by security agencies.
