Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned Nyesom Wike’s threat to shoot Channels TV anchor, Seun Okinbaloye.
Atiku, on Saturday, through his media office, warned that such rhetoric signals a troubling decline in democratic norms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike had made the comment during a televised media chat in Abuja, reacting to remarks by Channels Television anchor Seun Okinbaloye on the possibility of Nigeria drifting towards a one-party state.
In a statement that has since gone viral, the minister said, “If there’s any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” referring to the journalist.
Although some supporters of the minister have attempted to dismiss the remark as a figure of speech, critics argue that it reflects a growing intolerance for dissent within the political class.
Media advocacy groups and civil society organisations have weighed in, raising concerns about the safety of journalists and the shrinking space for free expression in the country.
They have called Wike to immediately apologise.
Atiku however condemned the minister’s comment, saying it was not a joke but a clear threat.
“For a serving minister of the Federal Republic to publicly declare on live television that he wished to shoot a journalist over a professional opinion is not just reckless – it is a chilling signal of how far this government has descended into intolerance, lawlessness, and the naked abuse of power,” the statement read.
The statement further warned that such rhetoric poses a direct threat to democracy and press freedom.
“Let Nigerians be under no illusion: when those entrusted with authority begin to speak the language of violence against the press, democracy itself is under attack,” it added.
Atiku’s media office argued that Wike’s outburst is symptomatic of a broader pattern under the Tinubu administration, alleging an increase in hostility toward dissenting voices.
“This was not a joke. It was not banter. It was a threat – clear, direct, and deeply sinister,” the statement said. “Minister Wike’s outburst is not an isolated slip; it is a symptom of a broader and more dangerous pattern where dissent is criminalised, criticism is met with hostility, and intimidation has become the default language of governance.”
The former vice president’s camp also questioned the implications of such remarks for ordinary Nigerians.
“If a prominent journalist can be threatened so brazenly on national television, what protection exists for the ordinary Nigerian?” the statement queried.
Calling for immediate action, the Atiku Media Office demanded a public apology from Wike and a clear repudiation of the federal government’s statement.
“We demand an immediate and unconditional public apology from Nyesom Wike to Seun Okinbaloye and the entire Nigerian media community, as well as concrete assurances for the safety and protection of journalists across Nigeria,” it said.
The statement warned that failure to act would reinforce fears of creeping authoritarianism.
“Anything short of this will confirm what many Nigerians already fear – that this government is not merely intolerant of dissent, but increasingly comfortable with the language and instruments of repression,” it added.
