IBAN Threatens To Boycott Wike’s Activities Over Comments Against Channel’s Seun Okinbaloye …Demands Written Apology
The Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has threatened to boycott all the activities of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, henceforth unless he retracts his statement and apologise to Seun Okinbaloye, an anchor of Channels Television’s Politics Today, over statement credited to him.
IBAN in a statement issued by Alhaji Ahmed Ramalan and Fidelis Duker, Chairman and acting General secretary respectively said it’s unthinkable that a serving minister would utter such statement.
The group however expressed deep concern over recent remarks made by the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
The statement read:
“On Friday, 3 April 2026, during a live media chat on Channels Television, the Minister stated concerning journalist Seun Okinbaloye: “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.” The comment was made in reaction to the journalist’s interviewing style on the Politics Today programme.
“While the Minister has since indicated he did not intend physical harm, IBAN believes that any expression of violent intent – even hypothetical – is inappropriate for a public official. Such language can be perceived as intimidation and risks normalising hostility toward the media.
“Nigeria currently ranks 122 out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index. Journalists already face significant challenges, including surveillance, attacks, and arbitrary arrests. Remarks of this nature from a senior government figure only worsen an already difficult environment for media professionals.”
IBAN calls on the FCT Minister to retract the statement in clear terms, apologise to Mr Seun Okinbaloye and reaffirm his commitment to non-violence and respect for press freedom as enshrined in sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the group would have no choice than to direct all independent broadcast stations to suspend all media briefings, chats and interviews hosted by the Minister henceforth.
