The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has erected a stark warning by ranking Imo, Lagos, and Bauchi among the most hostile Nigerian states for journalists, sounding alarms over the state of freedom of the press.
According to CJID’s 2024 Openness Index Report, these three states represent hazardous ground for media professionals, revealing profound and persistent challenges facing journalism at the subnational level in Nigeria.
Imo State, in particular, has been dubbed the most dangerous, finishing last among 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with a score of just 40.70%.
The report attributes this dismal ranking to pervasive repression, frequent obstruction of journalistic work, and consistent lack of transparency from state actors.
Journalists in Imo face intimidation, threats, and at times outright violence, making investigative reporting and accountability journalism extremely hazardous.
Lagos, despite being Nigeria’s media capital, fares poorly too, placing a surprising 22nd in the country.
Its troubled score of 48.93% is linked to regular clashes between journalists and law enforcement agents, restricted access to public records, and repeated harassment—especially during coverage of protests and political events.
These conditions have triggered a climate of fear and self-censorship, not just among local reporters but also among national and international correspondents operating within the metropolitan state. .
Bauchi State finds itself in a similar predicament, ranking 35th with a score of 42.69%. While the Bauchi government publicly commits to an enabling environment for journalism, the Index shows that the underlying realities diverge sharply.
Press freedom here is constrained by subtle and overt pressures, including legal constraints, delayed access to government information, and sporadic but worrisome cases of intimidation.
The CJID’s comprehensive methodology draws on both perception-based survey data from over 1,100 media professionals and verified incident tracking, painting a nuanced portrait of where openness is thriving and where it is under threat.
The findings underscore that, despite constitutional guarantees, the lived experience of journalists is fraught with challenges—from direct censorship to legal intimidation and outright violence.
These patterns are reinforced by a lack of functional transparency, poor institutional protections, and aggressive behaviour of security agencies.
The report’s sobering conclusion is that openness and media freedom in Nigeria are both fragile and uneven.
Positive changes in states like Cross River—now lauded for its improved openness—demonstrate that reforms are possible.
However, the situation in Imo, Lagos, and Bauchi points to a pressing need for legislative reform, robust enforcement of freedom of information provisions, and a sustained commitment to journalist protection at the grassroots level.
CJID has recommended urgent action: strengthening legal frameworks, creating independent media ombudsman structures, and investing in law enforcement training to better handle engagements with journalists.
Without such measures, true freedom of the press remains more an aspiration than a lived reality in these regions—threatening not just journalism, but democratic accountability itself.
Ultimately, the CJID’s Openness Index is both a wakeup call and a roadmap. It emphasizes that while the discourse around democracy and press freedom often centers on the federal government, the real battles are playing out in states like Imo, Lagos, and Bauchi.
Advocacy, policy reform, and strong civic coalitions are required to push back against repression and create a more open and safe environment for Nigeria’s journalists.
The health of the country’s democracy, the transparency of governance, and the integrity of public debate depend on nothing less.