The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) strongly condemns the brutal assault of journalist Precious Amadi by members of Salvation Ministries Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and calls on the authorities to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
On March 15, 2025, a fire broke out on the premises of Salvation Ministries Church. In an effort to assist, Precious Amadi, a journalist based in Port Harcourt, helped evacuate flammable furniture from the building and attempted to contact the Rivers State Fire Service. When the fire service failed to respond, Amadi posted an SOS message on his Facebook page.
Shortly after, some church members, angered by the post, falsely accused Amadi of being a spy. Under the supervision of junior pastors, they physically assaulted him. During the attack, Amadi’s two phones were confiscated. His Facebook post was deleted without his consent, and the data on both phones was wiped in an attempt to destroy evidence of the incident. He was beaten until he lost consciousness.
Later that day, Amadi recounted the ordeal in a live video on Facebook, revealing the extent of the assault and the attempts to suppress his reporting.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from media organisations in Nigeria. Many expressed shock that a journalist trying to help in an emergency situation would be met with such violence, particularly in a religious institution.
The MFWA reiterates that any attack on a journalist is an attack on press freedom. Regardless of any misunderstanding, violence is never justified—especially within an institution that should uphold values of peace, accountability, and justice.
We call on the government of Rivers State to investigate this incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are identified, prosecuted, and punished in accordance with the law.