Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Government harassment, police brutality, ownership influence and lack of funds hinder journalists in Nigeria from carrying out investigative reports, according to Patrick Egwu, an Enugu-based award-winning investigative journalist.

Egwu made this known over the weekend at the 11th Global Investigative Journalism Conference held in Hamburg, Germany, while presenting a paper titled ”Doing Investigative Journalism in Nigeria: Challenges, Impacts and Strategies”.

He noted that despite the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2011 which gives journalists the power to seek and access pubic documents for stories, journalists in Nigeria still face challenges accessing these documents to carryout investigation.

According to Egwu, “most times, journalists who embark on investigative reporting are trailed, targeted, arrested, kidnapped and even killed in worst cases for doing their job. In January 2019, the military was allegedly raided the Daily Trust offices, and arrested the editor and reporter over a story that was published on Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria’s northeast.

“Journalists have operated under threats at great personal risks and have been at the receiving end of oppressive governments especially during military regimes. This hasn’t changed much given reports of frequent arrests, detention, threat to life and raids of media houses have been the case for investigative journalists presently practicing in Nigeria.

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“Ownership influence in most cases, affect the way a journalist or media house operates. Imagine a case where the publisher interferes in the type of stories a reporter dose and how he goes about it, it will most likely affect the outcome of the investigation.

“To get their reports to the public, Nigeria’s investigative journalists have been faced with ugly situations in the field and off-the field both by state and non-state actors including terrorist group, Boko Haram,” he said.

Egwu noted that some of the journalists have adopted desperate measures to survive, while government agents have, on the other hand, have made moves too to suppress journalists and media organisations.

On the way forward, the Ph.D student of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, suggested that certain steps and actions be taken for investigative journalists to thrive in the country.

“There should be increased practical press freedom and the protection of investigative journalists in Nigeria with proper remuneration/funding, better working environment and ending ownership interference,” he said.