Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria

Nigeria is located in West Africa and borders Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and Republic of Benin. The country consists of 36 states and its Federal Capital, Abuja. Freedom of Speech in Nigeria has been talked about for many years. Campaigns have been put in place against the government to come up with new laws that protect the people, and the press, to express their opinions and what they believe in. According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948), â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression: this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers†. This article in simpler words states that, no matter in which country you live in, you have the right to express your opinions and ideas with freedom. Although this is a universal declaration, the impact it has in Nigeria is very small. According to Human Rights Watch, â€Å"the police arrested six journalists from the Nation Newspaper in October after they published a purported letter from former President Oluseggun Obansanjo.† (Human Rights Watch). This clearly confirms that although Freedom of Speech laws are in place to protect the opinions and expressions of journalists, and protect the lives of those who publish such information, corruption in Nigeria by government officials is overruling those laws. Government officials are punishing any journalists for publishing any informationShow MoreRelatedThe Ethnic Background Of Nigeria1583 Words   |  7 PagesYoruba ethnic groups. Islam in Nigeria is based on the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad outlined in the Qur’an with varying differences from the rest of the Islamic community. The vast majority of Igbo are Christians as are many of the Yoruba. 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