# Assaults on journalists in Nigeria > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/assaults-on-journalists-in-nigeria > Updated: 2026-08-20T03:55:56.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. Reports have emerged regarding physical assaults on journalists in Nigeria. In Ebonyi State, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists were ambushed by political thugs while traveling to cover a program in Ezza South Local Government Area. The attackers, described as being led by a man known as Friday Agbom, damaged a marked vehicle and attempted to set it on fire. While approximately 20 armed police officers were present, they were unable to prevent the violence, which resulted in eight people being hospitalized. In Abuja, Sunday Michael Ogwu, editor of Pinnacle Daily, was allegedly assaulted by police officers and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria during a demolition operation in the Lugbe area. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) reported that Ogwu was beaten with an electric cable after attempting to record the exercise. Officers reportedly seized his mobile phone and pursued him during a second assault, leaving him physically injured and his equipment damaged. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-20: Abuja police accused of assaulting journalist during demolition Pinnacle Daily editor Sunday Michael Ogwu was allegedly beaten with an electric cable and had his phone damaged by police and vigilante members while documenting a demolition in Abuja, Nigeria. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/abuja-police-accused-of-assaulting-journalist-during-demolition ### 2026-08-01: Journalists Attacked by Political Thugs in Ebonyi State, Nigeria Journalists covering an event in Ebonyi State were attacked by thugs led by Friday Agbom; vehicles were damaged, eight injured, and PDP chairman Chukwuma Igwe condemned the assault. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/journalists-attacked-by-political-thugs-in-ebonyi-state-nigeria --- Cite as: Assaults on journalists in Nigeria. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/assaults-on-journalists-in-nigeria