A new report has shown worrying levels of violence against journalists in Nigeria. Between 2019 and 2025, there were 94 attacks and 21 deaths. The report, put together by SBM Intelligence and EiE Nigeria in a chart, shows that press freedom is getting worse and journalists are becoming less safe.
The number of attacks was highest in 2024, with 23 cases, but it dropped sharply in 2025. Deaths also rose and fell over the years, reaching a peak of five in 2022.
Kidnapping is the biggest danger journalists face, with 32 cases recorded. There were also 24 cases of physical assault, 11 cases of mob violence, and seven cases each of election-related and political violence.
Journalists were also attacked five times with guns, robbed four times, and faced bandit attacks twice. Gang violence and thuggery accounted for one case each.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had the highest number of attacks (11), followed by Lagos (10) and Kano (7). Other states—such as Rivers, Oyo, Anambra, Delta, Kogi, and Osun—also recorded several incidents, showing that unsafe conditions for journalists exist across the country.
Regionally, the South-West had the highest number of attacks (23), followed by the North-Central (20). The South-South recorded 18, the North-West 15, the South-East 12, and the North-East six. Media rights groups say these numbers show that threats to journalists are widespread and national, not limited to any one region.
A few months ago, the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) also ranked Imo, Bauchi, and Lagos as among the most dangerous states for journalists in its 2024 State of Press Freedom Report.
The CJID report is part of the Openness Index, which measures press freedom in all 36 states and the FCT. It looks at factors such as access to information, harassment of journalists, government transparency, and legal protections.
The report puts Nigeria’s national press freedom score at 50.1%. It advises state governments to strengthen freedom of information laws, train security officers to respect journalists’ rights during protests and political events, and punish public officials who abuse the press.