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Deputy Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) Busayo Ajibola has revealed that 50 female journalists have been attacked over the years in Nigeria. She shared this at the just-concluded 20th African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) while discussing the importance of press freedom. The conference, held at Wits University in Johannesburg, started on Oct. 30, 2024, and ended on Nov. 1, 2024.
In Busola’s panel session at the gathering of journalists across the continent, she spoke on “UNESCO consultation on the online safety and attacks on journalists.”
Using data from Press Attack, a tool used by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Busayo shared insights that “highlights the threats and incidents targeting journalists, with emphasis on key findings and implications for the West African region.”
She also stated that a total of 56 attacks have been recorded against female journalists in Nigeria– a situation that highlights the prejudice against women in Nigeria.
According to research, 73% of female journalists in Nigeria said they have experienced online violence, 25% of female journalists have been threatened with physical violence, 18% have been threatened with sexual violence (18%), and 20% of female journalists said they had been attacked or abused offline.
Busola emphasised that journalists must be safe to ensure that journalism fulfils its purpose of protecting human rights, ensuring leadership accountability, and maintaining the integrity of our information ecosystem.
