IBAN Warns of Media Boycott, Presses Wike for Apology Over Controversial Comment

Nigeria’s Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has called on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to retract a controversial remark and apologise publicly, cautioning that failure to act could trigger a coordinated boycott of his media engagements.

The association, in a statement released Monday, said it was “deeply concerned” by comments made during a live broadcast on Channels Television on April 3, 2026. Reacting to the interviewing approach of Seun Okinbaloye on Politics Today, Wike stated: “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.”

Concerns Over Rhetoric and Press Freedom

Although the minister has since said he did not intend any physical harm, IBAN argued that such remarks remain unacceptable. It stressed that language suggesting violence—even hypothetically—can be seen as intimidation and may embolden hostility against media practitioners.

The group pointed to Nigeria’s ranking of 122 out of 180 countries on the global Press Freedom Index, noting persistent challenges such as surveillance, harassment, and arbitrary detention of journalists.

IBAN’s Conditions

To resolve the issue, IBAN is demanding:

• An unequivocal retraction
• A public apology to Okinbaloye and the media community
• A renewed commitment to non-violence and press freedom, consistent with constitutional provisions

Potential Fallout

IBAN warned it could direct member stations to halt coverage of the minister’s activities if the demands are not met, describing the move as necessary to protect journalists and push back against the normalisation of violent rhetoric.

“This is not a step IBAN takes lightly,” the statement noted.

Room for Dialogue

Despite the warning, the association signalled openness to dialogue and expressed hope that corrective steps would be taken to restore normal relations with the media.

The statement was signed by IBAN Chairman Ahmed Tijani Ramalan and Acting General Secretary Fidelis Duker.

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