A coalition of civil rights organizations, led by Citizens’ Gavel, has taken legal action against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, over what they describe as the increasing pattern of arbitrary arrests and harassment of journalists in Nigeria.
The suit, jointly filed by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), the Human Rights Journalists Network (HRJN), and other media stakeholders, seeks to challenge what they allege is the misuse of law enforcement agencies to silence journalists through intimidation and legal threats.
According to Sylvester Agih, Senior Legal Analyst at Citizens’ Gavel, the legal action became necessary due to the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take meaningful steps in addressing the issue.
The organizations argue that this inaction has left journalists vulnerable to harassment by both powerful individuals and state actors.
The statement reads: “In recent years, journalists across Nigeria have faced arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, and harassment simply for carrying out their constitutional duty to inform the public.
“These acts not only violate Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and the press but also contravene international human rights obligations Nigeria has committed to under treaties such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Through this lawsuit, we seek to end the misuse of police powers to unlawfully arrest and detain journalists under false pretenses and to secure a judicial pronouncement that upholds the rights of journalists to operate without fear of persecution.
“We call on the Nigerian government to respect the role of the media as the fourth estate of the realm and to ensure that journalists can operate freely, safely, and without undue interference. We also urge the judiciary to deliver justice in a manner that strengthens democratic values and protects human rights.
“The press must remain free if democracy is to thrive. We will not relent in our fight for justice and press freedom in Nigeria.”
