A growing wave of censorship and intimidation is silencing campus journalists in Nigerian universities. Experts warn of grave consequences for press freedom

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]cross Nigeria’s university campuses, the voices of student journalists are being stifled by a growing culture of intimidation, censorship, and fear.

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Muheeb Moshood, a student reporter at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), found himself in hot water after writing an article exposing poor services at the university’s medical clinic.

“You go there sick, they diagnose you, but they don’t give you any drugs,” Moshood said. The article sparked a backlash, and before long, his editor informed him that the Dean of Student Affairs had summoned him.

Moshood was interrogated and accused of defaming the university—a charge that left him traumatised and shaken.

His story is far from isolated. In universities across the country, student journalists are routinely harassed for publishing factual but critical reports that highlight mismanagement, corruption, or deteriorating infrastructure.

In 2023, Chisom Oguadimma, a Mass Communication student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), faced threats after publishing a report on the filthy state of student hostels.

“We were asked to pull the story down or face suspension,” she said.

Although the report followed standard journalistic procedures—interviews, visual evidence, fact-checking—the school management labelled it “defamatory” and launched a manhunt to unmask the authors.

“Now I mostly cover regular events, since anything else could be seen as damaging to the image of the school,” she added.

The Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), a national student press body, has documented dozens of such cases in which reporters are summoned, threatened, or forced to retract stories.

Olanshile Ogunrinu, president of the UCJ at the University of Ibadan, recounted how he was threatened after revealing that the Students’ Representative Council approved N1 million in airtime allowances from the union’s budget.

“It wasn’t until the Dean of Student Affairs intervened that the threats eased,” he said.

Campus journalism must remain fearless and committed to truth.

His colleague, Akanni Oluwasegun, was allegedly assaulted by campus security for filming a scuffle involving student leaders.

A final-year law student at the same university said she was nearly blocked from attending Law School after reporting on a controversial mock trial verdict.

In all these cases, the students maintain that their stories were factual, verified, and fair—but the backlash was swift and punitive.

“This is a violation of Section 39 of Nigeria’s Constitution,” said Abdulrahman Yusuf, a human rights lawyer and former student journalist.

“Education without accountability is incomplete. Silencing campus journalists is both unlawful and dangerous.”

Yusuf recalled how he, too, faced intimidation and academic retaliation during his time as Editor-in-Chief at two tertiary institutions.

“Universities should be the breeding ground for moral courage and intellectual honesty—not suppression.”

Lekan Otufodunrin, executive director of the Media Career Development Network, advised campus journalists to study institutional rules while aligning with national and international press laws.

“They must also build alliances with professional journalists who can support and protect them when issues escalate.”

Nigeria’s broader record on press freedom is also troubling. The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) reported 39 cases of harassment against journalists in 2023 alone.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Nigeria 113th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.

While the UDUS Dean of Student Affairs, Umar Aliyu, denies any restriction of press freedom—“We encourage evidence-based reporting,” he said—student experiences suggest a starkly different reality.

Despite these obstacles, campus journalists across the country are refusing to back down.

“We ensure our reporters adhere to ethical standards,” said Shereefdeen Ahmad, final-year law student and president of the National Association of Campus Journalists at UDUS.

Experts argue that defending student journalism is crucial not just for campus life, but for democracy at large.

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“Campus journalism must remain fearless and committed to truth,” Yusuf said. “Efforts to silence it are not only unlawful but deeply dangerous for society.”