Channels Television anchor Seun Okinbaloye has rejected intimidation claims following controversial remarks by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. During a live media chat on Friday, Wike responded to Okinbaloye's coverage of the African Democratic Congress leadership crisis, saying, "Assuming I can open the screen I would have shot him," calling the journalist's tone partisan. Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the comment as "reckless and violent," warning it could encourage attacks on journalists. Wike's aide, Lere Olayinka, later clarified the statement was hyperbolic, meant to express frustration over perceived bias, not a literal threat.
Okinbaloye addressed the issue on Channels Sunday Politics, thanking supporters and civil society groups for their solidarity. He confirmed receiving safety assurances from the Department of State Services and a personal call from the minister clarifying intent. "Our democracy is in danger if we allow one way traffic in balloting," he said, stressing that dissent must not be silenced. He reiterated that journalism "grounded in ethics and global best practices remains a duty to the public, not a concession to power."
Nyesom Wike's on-air remark about wanting to "shoot" a journalist, even if later framed as hyperbole, exposes a dangerous tolerance for violent rhetoric among high-ranking officials. When a federal minister uses such language, it emboldens others to view journalists as targets rather than watchdogs. This incident signals a shrinking space for critical media voices ahead of the 2027 elections. For Nigerian journalists, the message is clear: speaking truth to power increasingly comes with personal risk.
