Press Freedom, Human Rights as Everyday Essentials
Press freedom and human rights are everyday essentials that shape democratic participation, safeguard accountability, and protect citizens’ dignity, writes Oluchi Chibuzor
Press freedom is an everyday essential that shapes how societies function, hold power accountable, and protect individual rights. That was why as the world on Wednesday, marked the Human Rights Day 2025 under the theme “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials,” it was a timely reminder that the ability of journalists to report freely, safely, and independently is foundational to all other freedoms.
Without a vibrant, protected press, citizens are denied the information they need to make informed decisions, participate meaningfully in governance, and safeguard their own rights.
In Nigeria, where journalists continue to face harassment, censorship, and the misuse of repressive laws, the call to defend press freedom has never been more urgent.
The shrinking civic space threatens not only media practitioners but the democratic fabric of the nation. Upholding press freedom as an everyday essential means ensuring that reporters, editors, and storytellers can work without fear; that public interest journalism thrives; and that truth remains accessible to all.
Journalists, human rights defenders and activists play an indispensable role in documenting, reporting on human rights violations and deepening of democracy. Trying to suppress them has far-reaching negative consequences, including the erosion of democracy, increased corruption, the spread of misinformation, and human rights violations. No nation will progress under such conditions.
Impunity for those who threaten, intimidate and harass journalists, human rights defenders and activists contributes to the hostile environment for these defenders of constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights in Nigeria.
Speaking at an interactive session on, “Practical Strategies, Legal Tools and Collaborative Approaches to Address the Increasing Threats to Civic Space and Media Independence in Nigeria,” jointly organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the President of the NGE and Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Eze Anaba, noted continuing reports of use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in Nigeria, the persistent denial of access to public information, and the systematic weakening of the rule of law.
“These actions constitute serious violations of human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and public participation, and directly undermine Nigeria’s obligations under international law.
“SLAPPs are abusive, meritless lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists, human rights defenders, environmental activists, and civil society organizations.
“In Nigeria, we are witnessing this pattern with alarming regularity, where public-interest actors are targeted for exposing corruption, environmental abuse, and government malfeasance.
The denial of access to information compounds these abuses. Transparency is a cornerstone of democracy, yet Nigerian authorities routinely block journalists, activists, and citizens from obtaining critical information about government decisions, contracts, and expenditures.
Nigerian authorities should end practices that are incompatible with international human rights obligations and undermine civic space and media freedom in the country. Nigerian authorities should halt all SLAPPs and enact legislation to protect journalists, activists, and whistleblowers from abusive litigation,” Anaba added in his opening remarks.
Therefore, he urged Nigerian authorities to guarantee full access to public information, ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act and international human rights standards.
In his keynote address, Mr. Richard Akinnola of the Media Law Centre, noted that it is clear that without the opportunity and space for Nigerians to organise and enjoy their human rights and to advocate and act on behalf of human rights, the constitutional goals of justice, dignity and equality would not be achieved.
He cited the UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which states that, “Civic space is the environment that enables civil society to play a role in political, economic and social life. In particular, civic space allows individuals and groups to contribute to policy-making that affects their lives, including how it is implemented.”
According to Akinnola, “This civic space is increasingly under pressure in Nigeria from repressive laws and increased restrictions on freedoms to express, participate, assemble and associate. Civic space is essential for rights holders to engage on all types of rights.
“The escalating restrictions on civic space and attacks on freedom of expression, media freedom and civil society organisations, including online, take the forms of assaults, arbitrary arrests and detentions, abductions, prosecution on trumped up charges, and retaliation against family members, and the use of SLAPP lawsuits to target journalists, activists, and civil society organisations. Others include online violence, smear campaigns, targeted digital surveillance, hacking, and blocking of news sites.
“Journalists, human rights defenders, political activists and civil society organizations are among the most common targets of SLAPPs in Nigeria. The objective is to obstruct, intimidate and undermine the legitimate activities of civil society organizations and silence journalists and their sources, and create an environment of fear and insecurity in which self-censorship prevails to the detriment of freedom of expression.
“According to the reports, security and law enforcement operatives are mostly behind attacks against journalists, activists and civil society organizations. Media houses have been threatened or shut down for political reasons in Niger, Zamfara, and other states. Some broadcast stations, including Pride FM, Gamji TV, and Al-Umma TV, were once closed simply for airing an opposition rally.
“SERAP is among civil society organisations currently facing SLAPP lawsuits simply for carrying out their legitimate activities. The use of SLAPPs and similar procedures frequently undermine human rights, including freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly and the right to political participation in the country.
“I’m particularly worried about the use and abuse of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc Act) (Amendment)Act 2024, which is now being weaponised by political leaders, particularly State governors to deal with perceived opponents and critics. It seems the law is the civilian version of Public Officers (Protection against False Accusations) Decree 4 of 1984, a law the Buhari junta used to hound the media, leading to the imprisonment of two The Guardian journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor,” he added.
According to Akinnola, journalists should not be treated as political pawns but as human beings who, at great cost to themselves, serve a critical social purpose of fulfilling people’s right to information.
“Indeed, the civil society, including the media and non-governmental organisations has important roles to play in the efforts to achieve the effective promotion and protection of human rights and to hold governments at all levels to account for the restrictions of civic space.
“SLAPP lawsuits against any journalists, activists and civil society organisations have a ‘chilling effect’ on the exercise of freedom of expression and other human rights and fundamental freedoms, which Nigeria is bound to protect pursuant to its international legal obligations.
“These obligations include those contained in Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.
“Nigerian authorities at all levels—federal government, state governments and local governments must end continuing restrictions on civic space and use of SLAPPs against journalists, the media and CSOs in Nigeria. Nigerian authorities uphold the human rights of everyone including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association in the country.
Arbitrary arrests of journalists and restrictions on civic space have no place in a democracy. The Tinubu administration must be guided by the rule of law in all its actions, policies and programmes,” he added.
Rather than targeting journalists, the media and civil society organisations, Nigerian authorities must address the human rights problems deeply rooted in poverty, inequality, corruption, organised crime and weak institutions, aggravated by high levels of violence and marginalisation of the vulnerable sectors of the population, he stressed.
In a joint statement by SERAP and the NGE at the end of the interactive session, both organisations demanded that the Nigerian authorities should withdraw the SLAPP lawsuit brought against journalists, activists, and civil society organisations including SERAP.
The statement was jointly signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare and the General Secretary, NGE, Onuoha Ukeh.
In addition, they urged the Nigerian authorities to uphold the obligations under the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties to which the country is a state party.
They added: “Nigerian authorities should urgently act to prevent further spurious court cases by security and law enforcement agencies that target journalists, activists, and CSOs and undermine democracy. “
They further demanded that Nigerian authorities should protect journalists, activists, and civil society organizations from SLAPP lawsuits and other abusive litigation aimed at curtailing the peaceful exercise of press freedom and human rights in the country.
“Nigerian authorities must ensure that defamation is not used as a tool to undermine legitimate rights and freedoms of affected rights holders, civil society organisations and human rights defenders.
“We urge President Tinubu and the federal government to publicly call on state governors, the Nigerian Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to uphold and ensure full respect for the rights of everyone in the country, including journalists, human rights defenders and activists.
“We call on President Tinubu and the federal government, the country’s 36 governors and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister to genuinely uphold human rights, press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law.
“We urge the National Assembly to promptly and comprehensively review the Cybercrimes Act and other restrictive legislation, and revise them as appropriate to bring them into line with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments regarding human rights and media freedom.
“We urge the international community to hold Nigerian authorities to account for violations of human rights in the country, including by calling on the authorities at both the Federal and state levels to immediately and unconditionally release anyone detained solely for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights,” they added.
In conclusion, it is important to note that press freedom and human rights are not abstract ideals reserved for international observances, but are everyday essentials that determine the quality of life, dignity, and democracy for every Nigerian. We are reminded that open civic space, access to information, and the ability to speak without fear are the foundations upon which all other rights stand. When journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens can question authority, expose injustice, and hold leaders accountable, societies become safer, more just, and more prosperous.
Protecting press freedom is therefore not merely a legal obligation; it is a daily commitment to safeguarding truth, promoting transparency, and defending the humanity of everyone.
