IGP, two Governors named in press freedom ‘Book of Infamy’

The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has launched its inaugural ‘Book of Infamy’ to publicly catalogue state actors accused of undermining press freedom, with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, and two state governors being the first officials listed.
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The platform, unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the IPI Nigeria Annual Conference on Tuesday, aims to hold public officials accountable for their actions against journalists.
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The three public officials were inducted for specific acts of repression against the media, despite appeals from the IPI for them to reverse their decisions.
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First on the list is Olukayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, who failed to stop arbitrary and unlawful arrests of journalists nationwide by police operatives. Second is the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who barred the crew of Channels TV from covering the activities of the State Government House. Third is Mohammed Umar Bago, the Governor of Niger State, who ordered the illegal closure of Badeggi FM, a private radio station.
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Meanwhile, the IPI also honoured the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for his role in upholding press freedom, describing him as a ‘listening head’.
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Ajayi was honoured for responding positively to IPI interventions and correcting wrongdoings. His achievements include the removal of Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre, from the government’s watchlist after 40 years.
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Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, restates the commitment of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu towards media independence. He described the press as the central nervous system of a functioning democracy.
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