The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago over actions allegedly undermining press freedom in the state.
In a statement jointly signed by its Deputy President, Fidelis Mbah, and Legal Adviser, Tobi Soniyi, the organisation said recent actions by the governor and some officials under his administration have infringed on the rights of journalists to carry out their professional duties.
IPI cited the recent assault on a senior reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Musa Mikail, as the latest example. Mikail was reportedly attacked while covering a Ramadan Iftar at the palace of the Etsu Nupe in Bida, Niger State, on March 13, 2026.
According to the report, the journalist was assaulted and forced out of the venue by private security operatives acting on the instructions of the governor’s Chief Security Officer, Shehu Abdullahi Maikano. Mikail said he and his cameraman were performing their duties when they were approached and asked to move, but were attacked despite explaining that they were not obstructing proceedings.
IPI described the incident as part of a disturbing pattern of hostility towards journalists in the state.
The organisation also referenced previous cases, including the detention of a reporter with Prestige FM, Ahmed Isah Sakpe, over alleged defamation, and the closure of Badeggi FM in November 2025 over broadcasts deemed critical of the government.
Other incidents cited include the arrest of freelance journalist Ibrahim Ndamitso after questioning the governor on a kidnapping case, and the interrogation of Yakubu Mustapha Bina by security operatives following a report on the governor’s movement during an official tour.
IPI further recalled that Mustapha Batsari, a correspondent of the Voice of America (VOA), was assaulted and threatened by a state official within the Government House in Minna.
The organisation noted that these actions led to Governor Bago’s inclusion in its “Book of Infamy,” launched on December 2, 2025, for press freedom violations and intimidation of journalists.
Reacting to the latest incident, IPI Nigeria urged the Inspector-General of Police to immediately investigate the assault and sanction the governor’s Chief Security Officer alleged to have ordered the attack.
