Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said President Bola Tinubu has never directed him to suppress media freedom or take punitive actions against journalists. Idris made the statement on Wednesday during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Abuja.

The delegation was led by Onuoha Ukeh, general secretary of the NGE, and Sebastian Abu, the guild’s deputy president.

Speaking during the engagement, Idris said that although the media can sometimes contribute to tension through its reporting, the president had not asked him to influence coverage or act against journalists involved.

“There are times when the media instigate tension, but Tinubu never urged me to alter the narrative, lie, arrest or harass the perpetrators,” he said. “This is because the president is a true democrat who respects the rule of law.”

The minister added that the federal government recognises the essential role the press plays in governance. “The government believes it cannot operate without the media, which is the fourth estate of the realm,” he noted.

Idris said his ministry has continued regular engagements with key media bodies such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the NGE, and the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria. He also reiterated a longstanding call for balanced reporting.

“I have always said that when we do good, praise us, and when we are not doing well or going overboard, tell us constructively so that we can improve,” he said.

The minister dismissed suggestions that the administration is targeting the press, urging against drawing broad conclusions from isolated incidents.

As part of the government’s initiatives, Idris highlighted the recent establishment of a Media Literacy Centre (MIL) by UNESCO at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja. He said Nigeria is close to securing final ratification from UNESCO for the centre to become operational.

“When established, the MIL Centre will bring stakeholders from across the globe to Nigeria,” he said. “This will enhance media literacy and help combat the spread of fake news, misinformation and disinformation.”

Despite these assurances, Nigerian journalists continue to face serious challenges. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), in its press attack tracker, recorded 51 press freedom violations between May 2023 and June 2024, and another 90 between July and October 2024.

The incidents, often involving surveillance, harassment, and arrests by security agencies, have raised ongoing concerns about the shrinking civic space and the enforcement of laws like the Cybercrime Act, which press advocates say could be used to restrict investigative journalism.