The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) acts as a powerful voice for journalists. This independent trade union protects journalists’ rights, negotiates better working conditions, and promotes ethical standards within Nigerian media…the NUJ works to ensure a safe and thriving press landscape in Nigeria.”
The above description was added to the NUJ website to inform all stakeholders of its core mission.
However, the lived reality and experiences of many journalists over the years have proven that the NUJ has not only derailed from its self-imposed responsibilities but also appeared to be complicit in some instances when journalists’ rights, privileges, and dignities are violated.
WikkiTimes found that while journalists’ rights were violated, the NUJ in many states across Nigeria was not only turning a blind eye but, in many instances, celebrating the villains in a typical style of Nero fiddling while Rome was burning.
How NUJ Throws Journalists Under the Bus
While the NUJ, mainly at the local state level, casually issued statements condemning some of the harassments or intimidations against journalists by less powerful entities, it has almost always failed to confront state governments or governors whenever they attack or persecute journalists.
The NUJ often hobnobs with governors who are notorious for stifling media freedom and persecuting journalists just for trying to hold them accountable for their reportorial tasks.
Recently, the NUJ honoured former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Media Empowerment.
However, the immediate past governor of Kogi state has been reported to have assaulted journalists multiple times while he held sway in the north central state.
The award was given to him on Saturday at the 70th anniversary of the Union and book presentation held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
In Gombe, NUJ was praising Gov. Inuwa Yahaya while a journalist, Hassan Kera was forced to leave the state for so long that he could not even attend his brother’s burial.
Despite the Governor’s history of harassing journalists, the NUJ in the state either presents him with an award or congratulates him on receiving one.
In Bauchi, during the 2023 general elections, Khalid Idris Doya, a journalist with LEADERSHIP Newspapers, was imprisoned for 10 days after publishing aviral video allegedly showing the then Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Adamu Manu Soro, engaging in vote-buying.
The commissioner denied being the one in the video.
Similarly, the Bauchi State Governor threatened Hassan Ibrahim of Daily Trust for asking critical questions and warned he would “excommunicate” the journalist. Yet NUJ said nothing and, shockingly, presented the same governor with an award at the event where their colleague was publicly threatened and another onein 2023.
When Haruna Mohammed Salisu, WikkiTimes publisher, was whisked away from the NUJ vehicle on the governor’s orders, the NUJ didn’t protest the abduction. The founder of WikkiTimes’ offence, which led to his detention during the February poll, was simply taking photographs and interviewing locals in the governor’s village without waiting for arrangements or approval from the governor’s media team.
Despite jailing their colleagues and stifling media freedom, the NUJ in Bauchi awarded Governor Bala Mohammed the title of “media-friendly governor” in 2023.
Eyewitnesses confirmed in Kano that a stray bullet hit a journalist in Government House, the NUJ didn’t confront the state and seek justice for their member. It, however, accepted the government’s position, hook, line, and sinker, without hesitation that a metal fell on the journalist. In 2019, while Ganduje was persecuting Jaafar Jaafar for exposing his dollar-stuffing corruption, the NUJ honoured him with an award of excellence.
NUJ was commending Elrufai while journalists were persecuted in Kaduna.
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What NUJ Promises Journalists
According to Article 2, Objective 1 of the NUJ constitution, the union’s mission is to safeguard the freedom of the press and the freedom of Journalists to engage in legitimate professional activities.
Some Violations on Journalists
In 2023, the State-owned Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC) disengaged four female journalists after they had served for many years, reportedly for “insulting” the Bauchi State first lady, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed, while on duty.
Maryam Aliyu Kobi, one of the affected journalists, told WikkiTimes they were accused of insulting the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, during an off-air conversation in the studio, but no evidence was ever presented. She said they were not given a fair hearing before being dismissed.
According to her, the conversation involved comparing the current First Lady with the wife of former Governor Isah Yuguda, particularly regarding fashion sense and influence.
Maryam also expressed disappointment with the silence of the RATTAWU and NUJ over the dismissal of the permanent staff of the radio station.
Alhaji Umar Muhammad Shira, Managing Director of Bauchi Radio Corporation, said he could not comment on the matter as he was not in charge at the time. He advised contacting the Head of the Civil Service and the Civil Service Commission, who, he said, handle such staff-related issues.
Alhaji Usman Usman, the Commissioner for Information at the time, confirmed that after issuing a query, he directed the matter to the Head of the Civil Service and the Civil Service Commission for appropriate action, adding that only these bodies have the authority to discipline or dismiss civil servants.
Regarding casual staff, he said they simply asked them to stop parading themselves as employees.
WikkiTimes reached out to the Office of the Head of Civil Service and the Bauchi State Civil Service Commission for comments but received no response. Similarly, the police in Gombe State in 2022 arrested two journalists reportedly on the orders of the state government for reporting about the demolition of the campaign office of Muhammad Barde, the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state.
The journalists, AIT’s Chika Udenkwo and Blueprint Newspaper’s Joseph Atabo, simply reported the action of the Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority.
The Publisher of Daylight Reporter, Dahiru Hassan Kera, was declared ‘persona non grata’ in Gombe and had to flee the state after the report in 2022.
Kera and two other journalists were being intimidated, and trumped-up charges of ‘libel’ and ‘defamation’ were made against them after publishing stories that were unpleasant to Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Abdulwahab Muhammad, the then VOA Hausa reporter in Gombe and Bauchi, faced a similar threat from Governor Yahaya. None of these cases of harassment attracted the attention of the NUJ.
In Nigeria’s three-tiered federal system, governors are so powerful in their states that they almost control most of the media within their influence, except for a few. This is achieved through various means, including threats, intimidation, and inducements.
In 2024, Nigeria ranked 112th out of 180 countries on the global press freedom ranking index, with the civic space continuing to shrink as journalists face increasing abuses while performing their duties.
WikkiTimes understands that although most of the above happened in states, not all are directly connected to state governors.
However, state governors have proven to be a great threat to journalism and media freedom in their areas of influence.
Reporters without Borders, in a report, lamented that Nigerian reporters were under the yoke of all-powerful governors. The report accused some governors in Nigeria of persecuting journalists.
WikkiTimes observed that the governors deployed the Cybercrime Act 2015 to stifle journalism and media from critical reporting.
For instance, the then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano used it against the Daily Nigerian Publisher, Jaafar Jaafar; Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna used it against Ibanga Isine; Ben Ayade of Cross River used it to intimidate Agba Jalingo; and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi deployed it against Haruna Mohammed of WikkiTimes, among others. The NUJ, through its national president, Comrade Alhassan Yahya, denied abandoning journalists victimised by politicians and other influential individuals.
Yahya said that in his various positions as a NEC member of the NUJ for the past 23 years, the union had always stood for journalists.
“For instance, there was a time when Haruna had issues with either Kaura or the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as the then zonal vice president, I was at the police command to secure his bail.
“We condemn in totality anywhere or anybody harassing journalists, whether you are a governor or not, or even a president.”
He said the NUJ has a vetting process in place before giving any award and promised to advocate for journalists to operate more freely and professionally.
“Publishers and journalists also need to follow the code of ethics and abide by the laws of the land. I believe we have a long way to go in that regard, but under my watch, we will re-strategise on the way we operate,” he said.
This report is produced by WikkiTimes in collaboration with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) as part of a project documenting issues focused on press freedom in Nigeria.
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