IPI Nigeria Flags Top Officials in New ‘Book of Infamy’, Honours DSS Boss at Annual Conference
The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria shifted national attention toward press freedom on Tuesday as it unveiled its inaugural Book of Infamy, naming Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and two state governors among officials whose actions were deemed hostile to journalism.
The institute simultaneously honoured the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for what it described as constructive engagement with media stakeholders.
Vice President Kashim Shettima performed the unveiling at the organisation’s second Annual Conference, where IPI Nigeria presented the first set of entries documenting public officials whose decisions directly impeded the work of journalists in the past year.
Governors Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State were listed alongside the IGP. IPI Nigeria said it included Egbetokun for allegedly ignoring repeated calls to stop what the group described as increasing cases of arbitrary arrests of journalists by police personnel across the country.
Governor Eno entered the list for instructing that Channels Television crews be barred from covering activities at the Akwa Ibom Government House, while Governor Bago was cited for ordering the shutdown of Badeggi FM, a privately owned radio station.
According to IPI Nigeria, both governors rejected appeals for reconsideration despite lacking overriding legal authority for the actions taken.
In contrast, the organisation commended DSS DG Ajayi for responding favourably to its interventions and addressing issues raised by the media community.
One of the reforms highlighted was the removal of Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre, from the government’s watchlist after four decades.
At the event, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, emphasised that a democratic system cannot thrive without an independent press.
He argued that discussions about media freedom must remain rooted in verifiable facts, adding that the current administration should not be judged by the repressive patterns of past governments.
Idris challenged participants to examine whether claims of systemic suppression reflect the present reality, noting that the Tinubu administration views a “sure-footed, critical, and independent” press as vital to national discourse.
“Our presence here today, under the chairmanship of the Vice President, signals our commitment to dialogue with the media,” he said. He also disclosed that security agencies now operate under stricter protocols to uphold journalists’ rights during security operations and civic demonstrations.
The minister added that the Federal Government continues to provide an enabling atmosphere for licensed media organisations to operate without fear, assuring that the administration aims to deepen transparency and accountability by protecting press freedom.
