The Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has called on Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to retract a remark he made about Seun Okinbaloye, a journalist with Channels Television.
IBAN, the umbrella body for independent broadcast stations in Nigeria, warned that failure to apologise could lead to a boycott of all media engagements organised by the minister.
In a statement signed by IBAN Chairman Ahmed Ramalan and Acting General Secretary Fidelis Duker, the association expressed concern over the minister’s comment during a live television interview on Friday.
Wike, while reacting to Okinbaloye’s analysis on the trajectory of Nigeria’s democracy on Politics Today said, “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.”
Wike later clarified to journalists that his statement was not a literal threat.
His senior special assistant on public communications, Lere Olayinka, described the comment as “hyperbolic” and claimed it was taken out of context by propagandists.
IBAN said the remark, despite subsequent clarification, was inappropriate for a public official and could be perceived as an attempt to intimidate journalists.
The association stressed that such statements contribute to a hostile environment for media practitioners, noting that Nigeria currently ranks 122 out of 180 countries on the press freedom index.
The association urged Wike to retract the comment, apologise publicly to Okinbaloye and the media, and reaffirm his commitment to press freedom in line with Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
“Should the minister fail to meet these requests within a reasonable period, IBAN will have no choice but to advise all independent broadcast stations to suspend coverage of all press briefings, media chats, and official news conferences hosted by the FCT minister,” the statement read.
IBAN said the action is aimed at protecting journalists and discouraging violent rhetoric against the media, while reaffirming its openness to constructive engagement with public officials.
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