Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A disturbing incident has drawn sharp criticism from media practitioners and civil society groups after Habeeb Adejobi, a journalist with Mitv, was reportedly assaulted by security operatives at the Kosofe Local Government Area secretariat in Lagos while covering official activities. The episode has reignited concerns about press freedom, media safety and the treatment of journalists by security personnel attached to government facilities.
According to accounts from the journalist and eyewitnesses, the incident occurred in the afternoon when Adejobi went to the Kosofe council secretariat to cover the screening of newly appointed supervisors and special advisers. After arriving at the venue, he attempted to reach the council chairman and the information officer by phone but did not receive a response. He was informed by a councillor that the screening was ongoing and set up his camera on the premises to await further developments.
What followed was a confrontation between Adejobi and individuals believed to be security personnel attached to the council. The journalist said that after identifying himself, he was instructed to leave the premises by a man who later brought the council chairman, Moyosore Ogunlewe, into the discussion. The journalist acknowledged that he did not have his press identification card on him at the time, but said he had previously covered council events and was there in his professional capacity.
Adejobi alleged that without further discussion, the council chairman ordered that his camera be seized and that he be removed from the premises. He claimed that one of the men present struck him with a plank while others, identified as officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps attached to a special task force, began to assault him. According to his account, he was punched and hit and was also ordered to delete footage from his camera.
The assault reportedly left Adejobi in pain and shocked onlookers, some of whom intervened to try to calm the situation. The journalist said that his camera was damaged during the altercation and that he suffered injuries that later required medical attention. He was eventually taken by a security official to a police station in Ogudu, where security personnel allegedly held him briefly. At the police station, the divisional police officer intervened and allowed him to leave to seek medical treatment for his injuries.
The alleged attack has triggered strong reactions from fellow journalists in Lagos and beyond, many of whom described the incident as an unacceptable violation of press freedom. Media professionals said that journalists should be allowed to report on official activities without fear of intimidation or physical harm, especially when they present themselves professionally and identify their purpose.
However, the council chairman, Moyosore Ogunlewe, has denied that any assault took place. He described the claims as untrue and maintained that Adejobi was questioned simply because he was on the premises without proper identification. Ogunlewe said he approached the man with the camera to inquire about his identity and was surprised at later reports that he was from Mitv, given that the initial identification provided was different.
Ogunlewe insisted that no journalist was assaulted at the council secretariat and said that the matter was resolved at the police station. He suggested that political opponents might be seeking to exploit the incident to embarrass the local government, and he expressed frustration at what he described as attempts to misrepresent the situation.
The conflicting versions of events have drawn attention from media rights organisations and press freedom advocates, who have condemned the reported assault and urged a thorough investigation. Groups representing journalists stressed that physical attacks and intimidation of media workers undermine the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and the press, and they called for accountability and clearer protections for journalists covering public institutions.
Press freedom advocates also highlighted that such incidents are not isolated in Nigeria, where journalists have in recent years faced harassment, detention or violence while covering protests, political events or official functions. They argue that these challenges weaken democratic accountability by discouraging journalists from fulfilling their role of informing the public and holding power to account.
In response to the incident, some media stakeholders in Lagos have called on relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists and civil society organisations, to demand accountability from security operatives and to ensure that similar attacks do not occur in the future. They are also urging local government councils to establish clear protocols for media access to official events and to ensure that security personnel are trained to respect the rights of accredited journalists.
Observers note that security operatives, including those attached to government facilities, have legitimate responsibilities to maintain order and protect public property. However, they emphasise that these duties should not come at the expense of press freedom or the safety of journalists performing legitimate reporting tasks.
The matter has also sparked broader discussions about the need for better protections for journalists in Nigeria, including stronger institutional guidelines for how media personnel should be treated by security agencies during coverage of official events. Some analysts suggest that agreements between media organisations and government institutions, as well as training for security operatives on media rights and protocols, could help prevent future confrontations.
As the controversy continues to garner public attention, journalists and media rights advocates are calling for an impartial inquiry into the incident to determine exactly what transpired at the Kosofe Local Government Area secretariat. They say the outcome of any official investigation will be significant for press freedom and the relationship between the media and government institutions in Nigeria.
For many in the media community, the incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges that journalists face in carrying out their duties, even within democratic contexts where freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed. The debate over the assault on the Mitv journalist reflects wider concerns about safety, accountability and respect for journalists across the country.
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