Gladness Gideon
Journalists accredited to cover proceedings at the National Assembly were on Thursday barred from entering the chamber where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu delivered his Democracy Day address to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The restriction, enforced despite the journalists possessing valid National Assembly accreditation, occurred ahead of the president’s noon speech commemorating June 12—Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
Security operatives, including personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Assembly’s Sergeant-at-Arms, and other law enforcement agents, stationed at the entrance of the press gallery, denied access to multiple reporters. The operatives insisted that only those with “special accreditation” would be allowed inside the chamber.
Journalists affected by the blockade included representatives from prominent media houses such as The Guardian, Vanguard, TVC News, Punch, News Central, The Nation, and ITV, among others.
Meanwhile, several aides, political associates, and unidentified individuals—some without any visible accreditation—were observed freely entering the chamber, a situation that further angered members of the press corps.
Security officers directed the locked-out journalists to monitor the session from the television screens at the National Assembly’s media centre, far from the main legislative chamber.
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Members of the press corps condemned the development as a violation of press freedom and an intentional effort to restrict media access to a constitutionally significant event.
“This is not just an oversight; it is a deliberate attempt to muzzle the press and prevent comprehensive coverage of a national moment,” one reporter said on condition of anonymity.
The incident adds to growing concerns about the shrinking space for media freedom in Nigeria, especially during major government events that should be open to public scrutiny.
President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address, held under tight security, was expected to highlight governance milestones and national unity themes, underscoring the significance of June 12 as a symbol of Nigeria’s democratic struggle.
As of press time, there was no official explanation from the National Assembly or the Presidency regarding the exclusion of duly accredited journalists.