FOR CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS (IDEI) 2026.
Global Theme: “Threat Evolve, Impunity Endures”.
Nigerian Focus: “Protecting Journalists, Ending Impunity: Building a
Safer Media Environment for Nigeria’s 2027 Elections”.
By Gbemiga Bamidele.
The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly through
Resolution 68/163 in 2013. The date, 2 November commemorates the
killing of two French journalists in Mali in 2013.
The message of the international community is straightforward: when
journalists are attacked because of their work, society itself is attacked;
and when such crimes go unpunished, Impunity becomes an invitation
to repetition.
UNESCO reports that between 2006 to 2025, more than 1,800 Journalists
were killed globally while close to six out of seven of those cases remain
judicially unresolved. These are not mere statistics.
Behind every number is a journalist, a family, a colleague, a community
and a public that has lost a source of information. That is why this year’s
theme is so powerful: “Threat Evolve, Impunity Endures”.
The threats confronting journalists are changing. Technology is changing.
Political communication is changing. The information environment is
changing. Yet the fundamental problem remains remarkably familiar:
the perpetrators of crimes against journalists are too often not held
accountable. And this is where Nigeria must have a serious conversation
with itself.
Press Freedom is not a License for Journalists to be Careless.
There is an important distinction that we must make today. Defending
press freedom does not mean pretending that journalism is without risks,
neither does it mean that Journalists should deliberately place
themselves in dangerous situations in the name of professional courage.
A journalist has a duty to the public, but also a duty to remain alive and
safe enough to continue serving the public. The journalist’s safety must
therefore become part of professional responsibilities. We must move
away from the old mentality that says: “A good journalist must goanywhere, whatever the circumstances.” No. A good journalist must go
where the story requires, but must also access the risks, prepare
properly, maintain professional judgement and know when
circumstances have become too dangerous. Courage is not recklessness.
Professional commitment is not self-endangerment. And bravery does
not require a journalist to ignore danger.
Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Ahead of us is a Critical Test.
This conversation is particularly important because Nigeria is
approaching another general election cycle. According to the current
time table published by the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled
for January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State House of Assembly
elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The election period will place enormous responsibility on Nigerian
journalists. They will report campaigns, cover rallies, monitor political
statements, report voting, observe counting and coalition, investigate
allegations, fast-check claims, report results and developments, and also
operate in an environment where political passions can become intense
and where misinformation can spread rapidly.
Safety must begin before the Election.
For journalists, election safely begins long before Election Day. Media
organizations must not wait until a journalist is already on the field
before thinking of safety. Every newsroom should have an election
safely protocol. It should cover physical safety, digital safety, emergency
communication, identification, transportation, detention, medical
assistance, legal assistance and post-incident reporting. Safety should be
treated as an institutional responsibility, not merely the personal
problem of the reporter.
On Election Day journalists will face rapidly changing situations. A
peaceful environment can change quickly, a routine assignment can
become complicated, a disagreement can escalate and a crowd can
become hostile.
A journalist may be mistaken for a partisan simply because what he or
she is reporting. This is why professional neutrality and personal safety
must work together. Journalists should remain visibly professional,
avoid unnecessary confrontation and exercise judgement on where and
when to position themselves. They should verify information before
publishing, they should distinguish between what they have personallyobserved, what a source has alleged and what has been independently
confirmed. They should avoid becoming part of the story. The
journalist’s responsibility is to report the event, rather than becoming an
actor in it.
What should we do before 2027?.
First, every media organization should develop an election safety plan.
It should cover prevention, communication, emergency response, legal
assistance and post-incident support.
Second, journalists should receive regular safety training. Training
should not be a one-day ceremonial exercise. It should be practical,
continuos and adapted to the realities of Nigerian elections.
Thirdly, media and security agencies should establish communication
channels. A journalist should know who to contact when an incident
occurs, and responsible authorities should know how to respond.
Fourthly, there should be systematic documentation of attacks and
threats against journalists.
Fifthly, cases involving crimes against journalists should be followed to
their logical conclusions. An arrest is not the same as justice, an
investigation is not the same as prosecution and a prosecution is not the
same as accountability.
Sixthly, journalists must embrace professional discipline at all times.
A message to Journalists.
Let us remember something fundamental: your life is more important
than any single story. No headline is worth unnecessary exposure to
danger. No exclusive story requires reckless behavior. No professional
assignment should require a journalist to abandon common sense.
We should also know that the journalist is not the enemy of political
process, rather, he is part of the democratic information infrastructure.
Gbemiga Bamidele, Ph.D a communication scholar is the Convener,
Society for Journalism Enhancement Initiatives. (S4JEI).
