The trend by government and powerful individuals to file criminal charges against journalists, lawyers and human rights advocates for expressing critical opinions was the thrust of a two-day workshop organised by Lawyers Without Borders, also known as Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) France, in Lagos.
The event, an offshoot of ASF France’s e-RIGHTS project funded by the European Union in collaboration with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), aimed to equip journalists and legal practitioners with practical tools to identify, prevent and respond to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in Nigeria.
Setting the tone, ASF Country Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, feared that SLAPP suits were becoming a sophisticated tool for suppressing public debate.
“Democracy cannot thrive when people who speak truth to power are constantly dragged to court as a form of punishment,” she said.
Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Council, Adeleye Ajayi, represented by Assistant Secretary, Mr Olayide Awosanya, said the subject matter was crucial for press freedom, democratic accountability and the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
He described the training as a critical step in strengthening the capacity of journalists and media practitioners to understand, identify and effectively respond to SLAPP cases.
“As practitioners committed to informing the public and upholding our profession, we must be equipped with the knowledge to recognise when the law is being misused to stifle journalism”, he said.
Associate Professor of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Abiodun Odusote, described SLAPP as “a tactic that thrives on fear, hoping that journalists will back down”.
Noting that Nigeria needs anti-SLAPP litigation to prevent abuse of court proceedings, Odusote emphasised the need for judges to be conscious of the government’s tactics and differentiate between legitimate defamation claims and harassment.
Also, Dr Folashade Adegbite, Faculty of Law, UNILAG, said the lack of merit of SLAPP claims is indicative of dictatorship.
The psychological impact of SLAPP suits was highlighted, especially for young investigative journalists covering corruption, environmental abuses and corporate malpractice.
Mental health advocates also urged media houses to establish internal support systems to ensure that journalists facing prolonged court intimidation do not suffer in silence.
A key outcome of the workshop was the development of a draft newsroom guideline, outlining preventive steps such as meticulous record-keeping, fact-checking protocols, source protection and preserving digital evidence.
