Weighing in on the situation, Alabelewe expressed concern over the exclusion of journalists from court proceedings, describing it as “unfortunate.” Alabelewe said the restriction of media access to courtrooms undermines the role of the press in matters of national interest, particularly in cases involving allegations of corruption or security concerns. “It is an unfortunate situation because the media have been reduced to mere onlookers in matters of national interest. Issues of corruption and security are of public concern, and journalists should be granted full access to observe and report on proceedings, whether at the stage of prosecution or trial,” he said.

The NUJ chairman noted that the incident in Kaduna is not isolated, recalling previous instances where journalists were either denied entry into court premises or subjected to restrictive access under the guise of crowd control. He alleged that, in some cases, individuals without direct involvement in proceedings were granted access based on social status, while accredited reporters were excluded. Alabelewe further highlighted the risks posed by limited access, explaining that journalists are often forced to rely on second-hand information from legal representatives, which can sometimes be misleading.

“We have witnessed situations where lawyers misled journalists with inaccurate accounts of court rulings, leading to conflicting reports in the media,” he said, citing experiences during the 2023 post-election tribunal proceedings. He also raised concerns about the safety of journalists, noting that reporters are sometimes left outside court premises where they may be exposed to threats from hostile individuals.