The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned recent calls by the Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) urging police and security agencies to “checkmate” the use of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act by civil society organizations (CSOs).
The SNM accused CSOs of blackmailing and extorting government officials through the FOI Act, a claim MRA described as an attack on transparency and democratic accountability.
In a press statement issues on Thursday and signed by the MRA’s Communications Officer, Mr. Idowu Adewale, it dismissed the SNM’s allegations as baseless and harmful to Nigeria’s democratic values.
The MRA argued that the FOI Act is a vital tool for exposing corruption and improving governance, enabling citizens and organizations to access information held by public institutions.
“The FOI Act empowers the public to hold the government accountable. Attempts to discredit its usage by labeling legitimate inquiries as blackmail undermine Nigeria’s fight against corruption and democratic governance,” Mr. Adewale said.
He criticized the SNM, whose co-conveners—Rev. Solomon Semaka and Dr. Richard Oduma—allegedly have minimal digital presence, suggesting they may be fronts for security operatives opposed to transparency.
Mr. Adewale explained the global recognition of access to information as a fundamental human right, citing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UNESCO data showing that 138 UN member states guarantee public access to information.
He emphasized that public officials must remain open to scrutiny, and any misuse of the FOI Act should be addressed within the bounds of the law, not through intimidation or suppression.
MRA also dismissed SNM’s claims of “illegal CSOs” proliferating and negatively impacting the government as an ironic attempt by an unregistered organization to discredit legitimate civil society actors.
“The FOI Act is a shield for democracy, not a weapon for abuse. Efforts to weaken it, disguised as concern for extortion, must be rejected by all who value accountability and good governance,” Mr. Adewale concluded.
MRA called on stakeholders and the public to resist attempts to undermine the FOI Act and urged security agencies to focus on addressing real threats rather than harassing individuals and organizations advocating for transparency.
