The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council has called on government at all levels to ensure a safe and supportive environment for media practitioners to operate effectively.
Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Archibong Bassey, made the call on Saturday during a road walk to commemorate the 2025 World Press Freedom Day in Calabar, the state capital.
The road walk, tagged ‘Freedom Walk’, had a large turn-out of media professionals in the state who marched peacefully from the WAPI Junction, through Diamond, Stadium and terminated at the Millennium Park. Their messages were conveyed in placards with inscriptions such as “The Nigerian Media Deserves Freedom, Not Fear”, “No True Democracy Without a Free Press”, “Fake News Thrives When the Press is Gagged”, among others.
Comrade Bassey stressed the importance of an unfettered press, stating that societal ills flourish when journalists are silenced or restricted. She underlined the mutual responsibility between the press and society in safeguarding truth and accountability.
The NUJ Chairperson called on journalists to remain focused, in spite of distractions, and uphold truth as a fundamental value of the profession.
Also speaking, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Nsa Gill, cautioned journalists against premature politicking, stressing that the current focus should be on governance, not elections.
In line with the 2025 theme of the World Press Freedom Day, which is “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media”, the CPS urged media practitioners to embrace evolving tools, especially Artificial Intelligence, to enhance their reporting skills. He noted that while AI can support journalism, it must not replace core journalistic values or ethical practices.
“It is wrong to copy and paste AI content without verification. Journalism still demands accuracy and accountability,” he said.
As part of the Freedom Walk, media professionals visited the Mother Elizabeth Redeemed Orphanage and the Medium Security Prison, Afokang, where they donated food and toiletries to both the orphanage and inmates.