The state and house of assembly elections held on March 18 resulted in the harassment and attack of at least 28 journalists and media workers, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The organization reported multiple incidents of violence against journalists across Nigeria during the elections and stated that security officials present did not intervene.
CPJ’s statement on Tuesday cited specific cases, such as the attack on a TV crew with the broadcaster Arise TV in southwestern Lagos state, where ten unidentified men punched and hit the crew with sticks after they used a drone to film voting stations.
In Lagos state, Ima Elijah, a reporter with the news website Pulse.ng, and her camera operator were forced out of a polling unit by unidentified individuals who insisted that the elections should not be reported by the media.
The CPJ called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the incidents and hold those responsible accountable, stating that freedom of the press during elections is fundamental to the democratic process.