Rising Frivolous Lawsuits Against Journalists Alarming, Media Stakeholders Warn
Media stakeholders have raised concerns over the growing trend of frivolous lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists and suppressing press freedom in Nigeria.
This concern was highlighted during a one-day training session organized on Monday by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), with support from UNESCO. The event, themed “Navigating Legal Challenges: Laws that Criminalise Journalism and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in Newsrooms,” called for collaborative efforts to counter these legal threats.
Speaking at the event, Premium Times Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and President of the International Press Institute (IPI) decried the increasing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) as a tool to intimidate journalists.
“While some lawsuits are filed to protect reputations, many are merely used to financially cripple media houses,” Mojeed stated.
“In Nigeria, fraudulent lawsuits are often filed without consequence. If a journalist reports on corruption, the accused may sue—not necessarily to win, but to drain financial resources.”
Similarly, Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Dayo Aiyetan, described SLAPP suits as “frivolous legal actions filed by powerful individuals to stifle accountability.” He noted that fear of these lawsuits has led to increased self-censorship among journalists.
Hauwa Nuhu, Managing Editor of HumanAngle, emphasized that beyond legal threats, internal censorship within media organizations is also a growing concern.
“The financial burden of SLAPPs forces editors to reconsider certain investigative stories. The cost of legal battles is already high, and with Nigeria’s struggling media economy, newsrooms are forced to limit the stories they pursue,” she explained.
She added that high legal expenses further shrink the scope of investigative journalism, making it difficult for journalists to take on high-risk stories.
CJID Deputy Director, Bukola Ajibola, stressed the importance of legal awareness and collective resistance to safeguard press freedom in Nigeria.
“This training is essential to reducing legal threats and ensuring a free press, which is crucial for a healthy democracy,” Ajibola stated.
The stakeholders urged media organizations, legal experts, and civil society to collaborate in resisting SLAPPs and advocating for stronger protections against judicial harassment of journalists.
