As frivolous lawsuits against dissenting voices continued to surge, investigative journalists, activists and lawyers harped on possible ways to address the trend.
In a Twitter space — #SLAPPThemBack — organised by the Centre for Investigative Reporting (TheICIR), speakers including the Executive Director of TheICIR, Dayo Aiyetan described the situation as worrisome and vowed to fight back.
In his remarks, Aiyetan said journalists and activists are being faced with legal threats for holding power to account.
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“TheICIR has suffered its own share of frivolous lawsuits,” he said, adding the platform recently conducted a survey about the trend. He revealed that 142 respondents in various 40 organisations including the media and civil society organisations, said they have experienced frivolous lawsuits brought against them. According to him, 28.8% of the respondents confirmed they have been sued.
Speaking at the space, Haruna Salisu Mohammed, co-publisher of WikkiTimes gave a personal account of such litigations and threats. “I was arrested for interviewing sources. As I am speaking, we have not even published the content,” Harunsa said, adding WikkiTimes has about seven legal cases at the moment.
He advised that such litigations should not deter journalists from doing their job. Haruna was corroborated by Fisayo Soyombo, publisher of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
“Any investigative journalist that gets discouraged by lawsuits, and threats, should ask the question again: Was I meant for this job?” Soyombo said.
The Deputy Director, Centre for Journalism Innovation Development (CJID), Busola Ajibola, said such lawsuits can be a way of ridiculing journalists, intimidating and discrediting journalists.
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“More than 21 journalists in Nigeria now, over the years, have been killed and nobody has been held accountable for their killings,” she said.
Ajibola highlighted the importance of having lawmakers who understand the challenges faced by the media industry and can advocate for reforms and press freedom. She stressed the significance of collaboration and support among journalists and media organizations to combat the prevalence of frivolous lawsuits.
Looking at it from a legal perspective, Inibehe Effiong, a lawyer and human rights activist said it is always safe for media organisations to have internal attorneys to look properly into their investigations before going to the press.
The lawyer, however, lamented that the cases are increasing on a daily basis, adding they could last for years.
