Gabriel Achong, the Commissioner of Police of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, told Etim Ekpimah, a journalist with privately-owned PUNCH newspaper that the police would not offer him protection.

The MFWA’s correspondent in Nigeria reported that Ekpimah received a text message from an anonymous person on March 15, 2015, which said “Hi Etim. One guy, Martin Akpan, called me today to complain about your story in Sunday PUNCH. He said they will make you leave Akwa Ibom by force. His number is 08163192421.”

According to the MFWA’s correspondent, the threat on the journalist’s life is a result of his March 15 story, “Akwa Ibom: State where commissioners, others, kneel for Akpabio’s wife.”

Ekpimah reported the threatening text messages to Achong; however, he accused Ekpimah of collecting bribes from opposition parties to write the story.

“This is none of your business. I do not care about what happens to you. If you have collected money from those who asked you to write the story, why did you not tell them that you cannot write?” Achong is reported to have said.

Achong also told Ekpimah, You are on your own. I do not have any business protecting you. This is how you people go about causing troubles. You have brought serious embarrassment to the man (Akwa Ibom StateCommissioner for Works, Don Etim) and his family. If you want to talk with your madam in your office, do you stand to talk with her? Anybody can kneel down for another as a sign of respect.”

In his article, Ekpimah said some state officials, including the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Don Etim, knelt to talk to the wife of the State Governor Godswill Akpabio, Ekaette Umona Akpabio. The article also described other instances where state officials have knelt before the governor’s wife.

The MFWA condemns the inaction by the State Commissioner of the Police Force in Akwa Ibom State. As the State Commissioner, it is Achong’s duty to protect all citizens, particularly journalists who are undertaking their constitutionally protected work. It is therefore regrettable that Achong is treating a journalist’s safety with such contempt. We urge the Inspector General of Police in Nigeria, Suleiman Abba, to call Achong to order and ensure that he protects all persons in potential danger.

On March 16, 2015, the Governor of Niger State in Nigeria, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, threatened Aliyu M. Hamagam, a journalist with the privately-owned Daily Trust newspaper in Nigeria.

The MFWA’s correspondent in the country reported that the threat is a result of a story Hamagam authored on a project known as the “Three Arms Zone project,” which Aliyu initiated. The project, which is set to provide office and housing accommodation to the executive, the legislature and the judiciary arms of the government, has reportedly been delayed for about five years.

Aliyu told the journalist to be “careful” and also accused him of using a bad four-year-old picture to accompany the story.

“Go and see the roads, go and see the buildings that are coming there and we have not finished,” Aliyu reportedly told Hamagam.

Aliyu, who was speaking at the opening ceremony of a meeting of representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations from the North of Nigeria, accused the Daily Trust of working for the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC). He also said the newspaper had instructed its reporters to vilify the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming elections.

According to the MFWA’s correspondent, Aliyu alleged that in 2011, the former Niger State correspondent of the Daily Trust was “forced to resign” because the newspaper management urged him to write “bad reports” about the state PDP government.

The said reporter now works at Aliyu’s communications department.

Malam Mannir Dan Ali, Editor-in-Chief of Media Trust, the publishers of the Daily Trust, has however, denied these allegations and maintained that the newspaper is unbiased in its reportage.

The MFWA is concerned about the increasing lack of tolerance and respect for the media in Nigeria by state officials. We urge state officials to recognise the important work of journalists and respect and protect them in their line of duty.