No Plans To Gag Media, Nigeria Journalists Freest In The World – Lai

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, has dismissed suggestions that President Muhammadu Buhari was planning to gag the Nigerian media.

The minister said this at the 39th Session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Paris on Tuesday.

Mohammed, who was reacting to social media reports claiming the President was planning on censoring social media in the country, stressed that there was no such thing as that.

He further stated that the Nigeria media was one of the freest in the world.

According to him, the freedom of the media had been further enhanced through the Freedom of Information Act, adding that government would continue to make efforts to further enable the media to serve the people better.

“Nigerian Government does not engage in impunities against journalists and will never tolerate such,” Mohammed said.

“This effort is intended not only to produce a robust and healthy media, but for the journalism profession to continue to thrive under a conducive environment.

“The right to Freedom of Information, commonly understood as the right to access information held by public offices, is now widely recognised in Nigeria as a fundamental human right.

“By this act, the Nigerian Government is doing its utmost best to ensure accountability, transparency and openness,’’ the minister added.