Nigeria's Information Minister Demands Media Downplay Banditry Coverage

Nigeria's Minister of Information, Idris Mohammed, and the Director General of State Security, Adeola Ajayi, held a joint news conference on June 19 urging journalists to remove or downplay reports of banditry that dominate Nigerian newspapers. They emphasized that the media should not amplify such incidents, prompting criticism from reporters who view the request as interference in press freedom.

The call comes amid a broader escalation of insecurity in Nigeria, including banditry, kidnapping, and farmer‑herder clashes, which have become as destabilising as the Boko Haram insurgency. A 2023 Reuters Institute survey found that 57 % of Nigerians say they trust most news most of the time, placing the country fourth in media trust worldwide. Critics argue that the government's pressure may worsen reporting quality and hinder public understanding of the crisis.