SERAP Urges African Commission to Order FG to Withdraw Anti-media Bills

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, The Gambia, to issue provisional measures to urgently stop the Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Assembly from supporting and pushing through two bills to ‘gag the media’ and impose arbitrary and harsh punishment on journalists and media houses.

The complaint followed the move by the House of Representatives to pass two bills seeking to amend the National Broadcasting Act, and the Nigeria Press Council Act.

The bills are sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Segun Odebunmi (PDP, Oyo State).

SERAP, in the complaint, dated June 26, 2021, and addressed to the Chairperson of the commission, Solomon Ayele Dersso, and Commissioner and Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Ms Jamesina Essie L. King, said the bills are not keeping with the provisions of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, which supplement articles 1 and 9 of the African Charter.

The complaint read in part: “The bills include retrogressive provisions that threaten human rights, including freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom, and could criminalise reporting and give the government overly broad powers and oversight over journalists, broadcast stations, media houses and media professionals.

“If passed into laws, the bills would be used by those in power to intimidate and harass their critics, and to stifle freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom. The bills would have a chilling effect on the media thereby inducing some measure of self-censorship. The actions by the Nigerian Government and National Assembly are contrary to Articles 1 and 9 of the African Charter, and have thereby violated Nigeria’s positive obligation under Article 1 to recognise the rights, duties and freedoms and to adopt legislative or other measures to give effect to them.”