THERE WILL BE INK - Initiative for Policy Dialogue

A public radio reporter also noted limited access to government information. “I think they don’twant to say something that will implicate them.” Still, “as a journalist you have to have a way to getto the root of the matter…even if they won’t tell you on record.”Even apart from FOIB, many journalists said it was difficult to get information from companies forreasons that would not likely have a legal remedy. One business paper publisher said journalists hadlittle access to decision-makers at private companies. As an example, he said that even if a journalistwas able to get an interview with Shell officials by contacting them, the company might cancelbecause of security clearance issues. 53 Without direct access to officials, many journalists rely oncompany websites, but often find scarce information. 54IntimidationMost interviewees told us that, in Lagos, outright intimidation of journalists is a thing of the past.Some told us harrowing stories of brushes with the police during military rule, but it was repeatedlyemphasized that the situation has been much different under democratic rule.However, the physical security of journalists may be much stronger in Lagos than it is in otherregions of Nigeria. For example, intimidation by police and by other groups is still a major concernin the oil-producing Niger Delta, which is of course an area of vital interest in the promotion ofgood journalism on the extractives. Ibanga Isine, the bureau chief for Punch Newspaper in PortHarcourt, told us in a phone interview that, recently, police had jailed and “flogged” him for hisjournalistic activities.The relative impunity of the police, especially in certain regions and in certain activities, continues tobe a problem in Nigeria, which can have a spillover effect for journalists. Joe Agbro, a reporter forThe Nation, told us of a story he is covering about a man who was abducted and tortured by a policeofficer for making an impolite remark in traffic. Agbro said he sometimes felt that he wasinvestigating dangerous territory when reporting the story, but that he felt compelled to follow it.Some journalists say coverage of private companies is censored by their media organizations forreasons that bordered on intimidation. One journalist wrote an investigative report in the NigerDelta that revealed the name of the head of a clan who was taking money from oil companies. Hiseditor did not want to publish the story. The journalist published it himself in another media outlet. 55Still, most journalists told us that Nigeria has come a long way from the 1990s, when many peoplewould assume that their conversations were monitored and would censor themselves for fear ofgovernment reprisal.Institutional NormsOne business reporter told us that many reporters are wary of offending or “bringing people down.”As a result, some hesitate from exposing malfeasance. “Investigative journalism is not welldeveloped here,” he said, adding that such “cultural factors” were a bigger obstacle to journalismthan a poor legal framework. 56 (However, it should be noted that our researchers saw severalexamples of articles that attacked public figures quite aggressively.)53 Nigerian Interviewee #3. 2009. Interview by Ben Colmery and Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January54 Nigerian Interviewee #9. 2009. Interview by Ben Colmery and Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January55 Nigerian Interviewee #16. 2009. Interview by Emily Gann and Eamon Kircher-Allen. Lagos, Nigeria, March56 Nigerian Interviewee #17. 2009. Interview by Emily Gann and Eamon Kircher-Allen. Lagos, Nigeria, March– 20 –