Some stakeholders in the media profession have expressed concerns over the trend of frivolous lawsuits by public officials and influential citizens to silence the media.
The concerns were raised during a one-day training organised on Monday by the Centre For Journalism and Innovation, CJID, with the support of UNESCO.
Speaking at the event with the theme: “Navigating Legal Challenges: Laws that Criminalise Journalism and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in Newsrooms”, the stakeholders called for joint media collaboration to tackle the ugly trend.
Addressing the participants, the editor-in-chief of Premium Times newspaper, Musikilu Mojeed, and the president of the International Press Institute, IPI, lamented the prevalence of weaponization of SLAPPs against journalists and media organisations.
He said while some lawsuits were filed to protect reputations, the increasing abuse of legal action against the media was alarming.
Mr Mojeed said: “In Nigeria, fraudulent lawsuits are often filed without consequence. If a journalist reports on corruption, the accused may sue—not necessarily to win the case, but t financially cripple the journalist or media house.”
In his remarks, the Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan, described SLAPP suits as “frivolous lawsuits filed by individuals and entities that journalists and activists hold to account”.
He said the fear of SLAPPs has hindered the work of many journalists which, in turn, leads to unnecessary self-censorship.
Similarly, the Hauwa Nuhu, the Managing Editor of HumanAngle, noted that beyond legal threats, internal pressures also contribute to censorship within newsrooms.
“I believe the internal censorship is precisely one of the intended consequences of these legal battles. When editorial teams deliberate over story pitches, they remember the thousands of pounds spent on legal fees for transcription or the tens of thousands of dollars paid in settlements.
“This forces them to reconsider the types of stories they pursue, the risks they are willing to take, and whether certain investigations are worth the financial burden,” she said.
“When you factor in Nigeria’s already strained media economy—where journalists struggle to receive competitive salaries—the pool of potential stories shrinks even further.
“We are operating in a media climate where financial constraints make it difficult to sustain investigative journalism. On top of that, media houses are forced to spend exorbitant amounts on legal battles,” Ms Nuhu added.
Speaking earlier, the deputy director of CJID, Bukola Ajibola, said the training was imperative to reduce attacks and ensure press freedom which are necessary to promote healthy democracy in Nigeria.
