THE Akwa Ibom State Government has strongly refuted allegations of media repression made by Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, Executive Director of the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, describing the claim as “completely false, baseless and inconsistent with the facts.”
In a statement issued on 2 December 2025 by the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, the government challenged IPI and Mojeed to provide a single verifiable instance of any journalist being arrested, detained, intimidated, harassed, or any media house shut down or restricted under Governor Umo Eno’s administration.
The statement noted that no such incident has occurred since the governor assumed office, adding that the allegation appears to stem from Premium Times’ “known antagonistic disposition” toward the state government.
The government clarified that the recent recall of Channels TV correspondent Chris Moffat and cameraman Kufre Ikpe after over 20 years in Akwa Ibom was a routine staff rotation by the media organisation itself, not an action initiated or influenced by the state. It stressed that Channels TV has since deployed a new correspondent and enjoys continued robust relations with the administration.
The statement highlighted Governor Eno’s widely recognised media-friendly posture, citing accolades from the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nigeria Guild of Editors and other bodies, as well as concrete support, including donation of 11 vehicles to the state NUJ council, completion of its
Describing Mr. Mojeed’s claim as “careless and damaging” and indicative of clear bias, the Akwa Ibom State Government demanded an immediate retraction of the allegation and a public apology to Governor Umo Eno and the people of the state.
It urged the International Press Institute to publicly disassociate itself from what it called the “personal opinion” of its Nigerian representative.
The government reiterated its unwavering commitment to press freedom, responsible journalism, and open collaboration with the media, advising members of the public to disregard the IPI claim, which it said bears “no resemblance to the reality” in Akwa Ibom State.