A storm of outrage has erupted across Nigeria’s media landscape as the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria issued a blistering condemnation of the Akwa Ibom State Government’s shocking expulsion of a Channels Television correspondent and cameraman from the Government House.
The journalists were reportedly thrown out on the orders of state officials after airing footage that captured Governor Umo Eno appearing to flirt with the idea of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The video clip, which went viral, triggered political ripples—and now, a ferocious backlash over what many are calling a blatant assault on press freedom.
In a searing joint statement released Saturday, IPI’s Legal Adviser and Chairman of the Advocacy Committee, Tobi Soniyi, and its Secretary, Ochiaka Ugwu, slammed the expulsion as “an outrageous, dangerous abuse of power” and “a chilling escalation in the war against press freedom.”
“This is a red line,” the IPI declared. “To persecute journalists for reporting the words of an elected governor is not only reprehensible—it reeks of tyranny. No democracy worth its name treats the press like the enemy.”
The institute invoked Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, reminding the Akwa Ibom State Government that the press is mandated to hold power to account—not to pander to it. “Governor Eno must immediately reinstate the Channels TV crew or be seen, without doubt, as complicit in the suppression of democratic freedoms,” the statement thundered.
IPI leaders expressed shock that a government previously touted as media-friendly could stoop to such “Orwellian overreach,” and warned that the implications extend far beyond the affected journalists.
“This is not just a media scuffle—it’s a full-blown attack on the public’s right to know,” Soniyi said. “Governor Eno must understand: democracy dies in darkness. If you punish truth-tellers, what you protect is not your reputation—it’s impunity.”
The IPI further warned that this incident adds to a disturbing trend of intimidation, censorship, and hostility towards journalists in Nigeria, as state actors increasingly attempt to manipulate narratives through fear and force.
“Governor Eno must make a choice,” the IPI said. “Will he uphold the Constitution, or will he join the ranks of those who use power to bully and silence?”
While public condemnation continues to grow, calls are mounting for the immediate reinstatement of the Channels TV team and for an unambiguous apology from the Akwa Ibom State Government.
“The whole world is watching,” Ugwu said. “And history will not forget leaders who chose suppression over accountability.”
As of press time, all attempts to get an official response from the Akwa Ibom State Government were unsuccessful.