The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged media practitioners to exercise professionalism in reporting judicial proceedings, stressing that accurate coverage is vital to maintaining public confidence in the justice system. Her message was delivered by Justice Babatunde Adejumo, Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), at the 2026 National Conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC) held in Abuja on Thursday. The event, themed "The Role of the Judiciary in Deepening Democracy in Nigeria," brought together judges, lawyers, and journalists to discuss media-judiciary relations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Justice Adejumo warned against sensationalism and misrepresentation, stating that judicial decisions lose their democratic value when distorted. He cautioned journalists against acting as "parallel courts" by reinterpreting rulings, and recalled summoning newspaper editors over a report he termed false. "Before you publish any sensational news that may put you behind the bar for years, be careful," he said. Lawyers holding press conferences outside courthouses with journalists would also face sanctions, he added. On behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), his Special Assistant on Legislative Drafting, Hussein Oloyede, warned the media against amplifying divisive political narratives. "The media must remember that we need to have a country first before we can start talking about elections," Oloyede said, stating that hate speech and incitement would not be tolerated.
The AGF's call for national unity before elections rings hollow given his office's repeated failure to prosecute hate speech cases already before the courts. If the government will not act on existing legal frameworks, urging restraint without enforcement means nothing. Journalists may be warned against sensationalism, but silence from the AGF on unprosecuted incitement undermines the rule of law he claims to defend. This gap between statement and action erodes public trust faster than any media report.
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