ABUJA — As the world commemorates Human Rights Day 2025, a coalition of Nigeria’s foremost rights organizations and media bodies has sounded a dire alarm, revealing a systematic campaign of repression that is rapidly closing the country’s civic space and silencing critical voices through weaponized laws and arbitrary arrests.
In a powerful joint indictment, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) have documented what they term a “dangerous escalation” in state-backed repression. “These actions erode democracy, weaken the rule of law, and create a chilling effect across the civic space,” the coalition stated, accusing authorities of manipulating the Cybercrime Act and deploying strategic lawsuits to intimidate journalists and activists. Particularly under fire is Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, allegedly used repeatedly to detain critics under spurious “cyberstalking” charges.
The data paints a grim picture. Nigeria has plummeted ten places to 122nd in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development recorded 110 verified attacks on journalists in just the first three quarters of 2024—already exceeding the total for the entire previous year. This statistic is embodied by individuals like Tega Gobernadora, publisher of Secret Reporters, detained since September, and Azuka Francisca Ogujiuba, arrested twice in one month for her outlet’s reporting. “Rather than advancing justice, these actions undermine rights guaranteed under the Constitution and contribute to an environment of fear,” the SERAP-NGE statement concluded.
The consequences of this crackdown extend far beyond newsrooms. Analysts warn that suppressing watchdogs directly fuels corruption and misinformation while crippling public accountability. Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe highlighted a parallel crisis, noting that pervasive insecurity has itself become a primary rights violator, restricting freedom of movement and shattering the basic social contract. “The state is obligated to protect life, dignity and liberty,” she asserted, calling for citizen-led accountability.
Facing this dual crisis of repression and insecurity, the calls for action are unequivocal. SERAP and the NGE have demanded the immediate release of all detained journalists, the withdrawal of frivolous lawsuits, and a legislative overhaul of the Cybercrime Act. Deputy Commissioner of Police Olubode Fakeye offered a perspective from the security sector, advocating for a coordinated, multi-agency approach to safety, acknowledging that “no agency can address insecurity alone.”
The message on this Human Rights Day is clear: Nigeria stands at a democratic precipice. The government’s response to these systematic failures—whether it chooses reform or deeper repression—will determine the future of free speech and the safety of its citizens for years to come.
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Rights in Retreat: Nigeria’s Press Freedom Under Siege on Human Rights Day
