By Shu’aibu Usman Leman
As the global community gathers to commemorate World Press Freedom Day today, May 3, 2026, we find ourselves at a defining moment for our profession and our nation.
This year’s theme, _*“Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security,”*_ is not merely a distant academic concept; for the Nigerian media, it is a mandate that speaks to our daily survival. It challenges us to recognise that the safety of the journalist is inextricably linked to the stability of the state, and that peace itself is a fragile architecture that cannot be sustained upon a foundation of enforced silence. Peace is defined by the presence of truth, not the absence of conflict. Without honest public discourse, a society can neither mend its past nor build its future.
This commitment to truth was at the heart of the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ 70th anniversary last June, a milestone that provided an opportunity for deep introspection.
To honour seven decades of struggle, I authored Bleeding Ink to document the lived realities of practitioners across our federation. That volume was never intended to be a simple commemorative piece or a nostalgic look at the past; it stands as a solemn ledger of sacrifice and a sharp indictment of the recurring shadow of injustice that looms over our newsrooms. The accounts within its pages expose a grim, systemic pattern of intimidation, unlawful detention, and harassment that too often culminates in the ultimate sacrifice. These are not isolated grievances or mere hazards of the trade; they are symptoms of a corrosive climate where the search for truth is treated as a provocation rather than a public service.
In a nation navigating the complexities of peacebuilding and internal security, a muzzled press is a profound liability. When journalists are intimidated into silence, the damage radiates far beyond the professional circle. The suppression of truth creates a vacuum of credible information, and in that vacuum, public trust disappears, institutions hollow out, and misinformation and conflict-mongering take over. We must be clear, that attacks on the press are direct assaults on the stability of the Nigerian state.
Reflecting on my tenure as National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, I have documented these challenges from overt military decrees to the more subtle, yet equally dangerous, misapplication of legal frameworks. We see security agencies—the very institutions tasked with our protection—occasionally implicated in acts of intimidation, while the failure to resolve cases of violence against the press reinforces a culture of impunity that emboldens the oppressor.
This reality forces a fundamental question upon our leaders and our citizens.
How can we build a future at peace when those tasked with the responsibility of informing the public must work in a permanent state of fear? The answer is self-evident; we cannot. Press freedom is a cornerstone of peacebuilding because an independent media provides the transparency that holds power to account and the platform for dialogue that prevents conflict before it begins. It ensures that grievances are aired in the light of day rather than being left to fester in the dark. Where the press is constrained, injustice is allowed to flourish, and where injustice flourishes, lasting peace is impossible to achieve.
Despite these staggering pressures, the resilience of Nigerian journalists remains a source of immense pride.
From the front lines of difficult environments to the investigative desks uncovering corruption, our colleagues uphold professional ethics under conditions that would break lesser professions. Their bravery is a defining trait of our media landscape, yet it should never be a prerequisite for survival.
The obligation for change is collective and requires more than annual speeches or platitudes. The government must move beyond the rhetoric of support and ensure real, judicial accountability for those who target journalists, while the legislature must urgently reform laws that are currently weaponised to punish legitimate inquiry under the guise of national security.
Furthermore, our security agencies must return to their core mandate of protection rather than persecution. As we mark this day, we must accept that the path to peace is inseparable from the safety of those who report the news. There can be no sustainable development, no meaningful human rights, and no lasting security where the truth is silenced. A future at peace requires a press that is free, safe, and entirely independent. We have the ink and we have the will; what we require is the collective courage to ensure that our ink no longer has to bleed. The time to secure that future is now.
Leman is a former National Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ
