The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected its listing in the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria’s so-called Book of Infamy, insisting that allegations of media repression attributed to Governor Umo Eno are “false, unfounded, and inconsistent with reality.”
IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed, had announced at the Institute’s Annual General Meeting in Abuja that Eno, alongside Niger State Governor Umaru Bago and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was added to the blacklist — a public record of officials and institutions accused of violating press freedom. The AGM carried the theme, “Addressing Media Repression and Safeguarding Democratic Accountability in Nigeria.”
Mojeed stated that both governors were listed for allegedly ordering actions that undermined press freedom.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, dismissed the claims, challenging the IPI to provide evidence of any journalist “arrested, detained, intimidated, or harassed on the orders of Governor Umo Eno or any state official.”
The government also denied allegations of expelling journalists, noting that the recall of two Channels Television staff was “a routine administrative exercise common in both public and private organisations, and not an act of intimidation.”
The Book of Infamy, also known as the Book of Accountability, was launched in 2022 and documents individuals, agencies, and authorities found to have suppressed press freedom or obstructed journalists.
The Akwa Ibom Government, on its official website, maintained that Governor Eno has upheld a “distinctly media-friendly disposition” since assuming office, citing acknowledgments from the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and other bodies. The administration stressed that “no journalist has been detained or prosecuted” under his leadership, even amid critical reporting.
The statement also highlighted pro-media initiatives, including the donation of 11 vehicles to the NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council and the completion of the Council’s auditorium. It noted that 356 media and communication professionals currently serve in government roles, the highest number in any Nigerian state.
The government criticised the report for containing “damaging claims without investigation or evidence,” calling on the IPI to retract the report, issue a public apology, and distance itself from the allegations.
At the Abuja event, Vice President Kashim Shettima appealed for a two-week grace period to mediate between the IPI and the listed officials, stating, “I crave your indulgence. Give us a grace period of two weeks. Governor Umo Eno is a pastor and a humble man. I will impress on him to restore those Channel reporters. Bago is my friend as well; I will invite him to my office and we will sort things out.”
Reaffirming its position, the Akwa Ibom Government urged the public to disregard the allegations, insisting they do not reflect the situation in the state.
The post Akwa Ibom Govt. Rejects IPI ‘Book Of Infamy’ Listing, Denies Allegations Against Gov. Eno And Challenges Institute To Produce Evidence appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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