By Sarah Achile
Abuja, July 21, 2025 – As part of activities to commemorate the 2025 Press Week, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, staged a peaceful “Walk for Press Freedom” on Monday to promote media rights and advocate for improved welfare and working conditions for journalists.
The walk, which drew a large turnout of media professionals across the FCT, was aimed at raising awareness on the critical role of the press in sustaining democracy, amplifying public voices, and holding power to account.
Addressing participants during the walk, NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, underscored the need for stronger institutional support for journalists, especially in light of rising economic hardship and threats to press freedom.
“This walk is more than a symbolic gesture. It is a bold statement by proud journalists standing together in defense of free speech, media rights, and democratic values,” Ike said. “A free press remains the foundation of any thriving democracy.”
She noted that journalists across the country continue to work under difficult conditions while risking their lives to report the truth and serve the public interest.
“Without a free and independent media, society suffers. Voices are silenced, truth is suppressed, and democracy is weakened,” she added. “We must collectively resist censorship, harassment, and violence against journalists.”
Speaking on the 2025 Press Week theme — “Press Freedom, Democracy, Media and the Society” — Ike stressed the urgent need for reforms that guarantee job security, professional dignity, and better welfare packages for media practitioners.
She called on government agencies, civil society, and the general public to support press freedom as an essential pillar of democracy.
“Journalists must be treated with dignity. Their safety, job security, and freedom must be protected if we truly value our democracy,” she said. “We must also remain united in promoting ethical journalism, combating misinformation, and adapting to the evolving media landscape with responsibility.”
The Chairman concluded with a firm declaration of the NUJ FCT Council’s commitment to advancing press freedom and protecting journalistic integrity.
“Through this walk and other Press Week activities, we are sending a clear message: we will not be silenced. We will continue to defend the media space and give every citizen a voice.”
Also speaking at the event, NUJ FCT Vice Chairman, Ndambabo Yahaya, reaffirmed the union’s stance on the non-negotiable nature of press freedom.
“Press freedom is not a privilege it is a right. It is the bedrock of all other freedoms. Government and stakeholders must work collaboratively to uphold and strengthen it,” he said.
The 2025 Press Freedom Walk marks another chapter in the union’s ongoing advocacy for a safe, empowered, and independent media in Nigeria.
