The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the assault of Musa Mikail, a reporter with NTA News Now.
Mikail was reportedly attacked while covering a Ramadan Iftar at the palace of the Etsu Nupe in Bida, Niger State, an incident that has sparked serious concerns over journalist safety and press freedom in Nigeria.
SERAP cited reports suggesting that the attack was allegedly carried out by private security personnel acting on instructions from Shehu Maikano, the Chief Security Officer to Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago.
The organisation stressed that the President must ensure anyone found to have ordered, condoned, or directly participated in the assault is held fully accountable under the law. It also called for effective remedies for the victim, including access to justice and adequate compensation.
In a statement on Tuesday, SERAP further urged Governor Bago and his administration to immediately end what it described as persistent attacks on press freedom, the rule of law, and democratic accountability in Niger State.
The group emphasized that journalists play a critical role in informing the public and holding authorities accountable, warning that attempts to intimidate or silence them are both unlawful and harmful to democratic governance.
According to SERAP, Section 39 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information without interference.
This protection extends to journalists performing their professional duties and imposes a clear obligation on public officials to respect and protect media freedom.
The organisation also cited Section 34, which guarantees the right to human dignity, including freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment. It argued that the reported assault on Mikail, if verified, would constitute a violation of this fundamental right.
Referencing international law, SERAP highlighted Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which has been domesticated in Nigeria and affirms the right to receive and disseminate information.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has consistently ruled that attacks on journalists violate this right and threaten democratic governance.
Similarly, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantees freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive, and impart information.
SERAP noted that states are obliged not only to refrain from interfering with journalists but also to actively protect them from attacks, including by private individuals acting under public officials’ direction or acquiescence.
The rights group warned that persistent impunity for attacks on journalists undermines democratic institutions, erodes public trust, and emboldens further violations. Holding perpetrators accountable, the group stressed, is essential not only for justice in this case but also to safeguard press freedom in Nigeria.
The organisation concluded that in a democratic society, public officials must never use their positions or security apparatus to suppress the media, bearing a legal and moral responsibility to uphold and protect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and reinforced by international human rights law.
