Nigeria Union of Journalists Demands Formal Apology From Minister Nyesom Wike Over Violent Rhetoric Against Seun Okinbaloye

The Nigeria Union of Journalists calls on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to retract a violent "shooting" remark directed at broadcaster Seun Okinbaloye.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 9:15 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Politics Nigeria

A Formal Demand for Accountability and Press Safety

The Nigeria Union of Journalists has officially confronted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, regarding hostile comments made toward prominent media personality Seun Okinbaloye. In a formal communique signed by National President Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, the union expressed deep concern over the minister's rhetoric and its potential to endanger media practitioners. The organization waited for a voluntary retraction from the minister, but the continued silence from the executive office has prompted this public demand for a withdrawal of the remarks and a comprehensive apology to the affected journalist.

Analyzing the Violent Nature of the Ministerial Remark

The controversy stems from a recent media engagement where Minister Wike reacted to an analytical segment presented by Okinbaloye on a national television program. During the broadcast, Wike stated that if there were a physical way to break through the television screen, he would have shot the anchor. While the minister later suggested the comment was not intended to be a literal threat, the NUJ maintains that such language from a high ranking public official is inherently dangerous. The union argues that these statements raise critical issues regarding the protection of journalists and the overall health of Nigeria’s democratic discourse.

Defense of Hyperbolic Language and Contextual Clarification

In an attempt to mitigate the backlash, the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, characterized the statement as purely hyperbolic. On Saturday, Olayinka argued that the comment had been stripped of its original context and was never meant to be interpreted as a genuine threat of physical harm. Despite this clarification from the minister's aide, the NUJ remains unsatisfied, noting that the absence of a personal reflection or direct apology from Wike himself has only heightened the anxieties of those working within the media sector.