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The Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has issued a strong statement demanding that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, retract his controversial remark and issue a public apology.
This call came in the wake of Wike’s comments during an April 3 media interaction, which stirred significant concern among media professionals.
The controversy began when journalist Seun Okinbaloye, on the program ‘Politics Today’, expressed the importance of political competition ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections, warning that a lack of viable opposition could harm the country’s democracy.
Wike, visibly shocked by the remarks, responded: “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.”
IBAN swiftly condemned this response, describing it as inappropriate and potentially intimidating journalists. The association stressed that, despite Wike later clarifying his statement and asserting that he did not intend physical harm, such rhetoric from public officials could normalise hostility toward the media.
IBAN called on Wike to apologise to Okinbaloye and the wider media community, emphasising the critical role of press freedom in Nigerian democracy. Furthermore, the association warned that failure to issue an apology could lead to a coordinated boycott of all his media engagements by independent broadcasters across Nigeria.
IBAN’s statement was signed by its Chairman, Dr Ahmed Tijani Ramalan, and Fidelis Duker, the Acting General Secretary, reinforcing their commitment to upholding press freedoms and combating any attempts to stifle journalistic independence.
Such remarks, they argued, should never be tolerated in a democratic society where the media plays a key role in holding officials accountable.
