CJID Trains Journalists On Navigating Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPS)

Journalists, media practitioners have been urged to acquaint themselves with the various laws being used by the Nigeria government to hinder, undermine and stifle press freedom and freedom of expression.

The Center for Journalism Innovation and Development  ( CJID ) gave the charge at a workshop to address the legal challenges and threats faced by journalists and media organisations while carrying out their statutory duty in Abuja.

The workshop which focused on Newsrooms Engagement on Navigating Legal Challenges, Laws that criminalise Journalism and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation  ( SLAPPS  ) was attended by journalists and media executives from various media organizations.

Speaking earlier at the event the President of International Press Institute  ( IPI ), Mr. Musikilu Mojeed enunciated how Nigeria government had weaponised SLAPPs to hinder press freedom and freedom of expression thereby making media and civil space more hostile, toxic and dangerous.

He noted that the government through the security agents on many occasions go to the length of filing bogus and trumped up charges ranging from criminal defamation, terrorism, and cyberstalking against  journalists and media organisations with the aim to frustrate and undermine their operations.

According to him “In Nigeria, fraudulent lawsuits are often filed without consequence. If a journalist reports on corruption, the accused may sue—not necessarily to win the case, but t financially cripple the journalist or media house,”

“No matter how careful we are, the legal system can still be weaponised against journalists. Unfortunately, the consequences of SLAPPs go beyond financial losses. They erode press freedom and discourage investigative journalism,”

He called on media practitioners to be mindful and avail themselves of the relevant laws that may be easily used against them by the state actors while working on critical and investigative stories.

The IPI President charged journalists to make the code of conduct and code of ethics of the profession their guiding principles adding that abiding with the ethical and professional conduct will prevent them falling into the legal traps set by the state actors.

The Managing Editor of HumAngle, Hauwa Nuhu was of the opinion that apart from the legal threats there were other factors like internal pressures arising from the newsrooms that contribute to censorship.

According to her “I believe the internal censorship is precisely one of the intended consequences of these legal battles. When editorial teams deliberate over story pitches, they remember the thousands of pounds spent on legal fees for transcription or the tens of thousands of dollars paid in settlements. This forces them to reconsider the types of stories they pursue, the risks they are willing to take, and whether certain investigations are worth the financial burden,” she said.

“When you factor in Nigeria’s already strained media economy—where journalists struggle to receive competitive salaries—the pool of potential stories shrinks even further.

The event also discussed extensively on gentler nuances of press freedom violations, understanding inhibiting laws against journalism and how to navigate SLAPPS, using CJID’s Press Attack Tracker in reporting press freedom violations and available legal support to media outlets and journalists through the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Many journalists used the event to share and recount their near death experiences while performing their job.

There was a consensus at the end of the training as participants agreed on the need for a stronger media collaboration and partnership to combat legal harassment and censorship.

Participants noted that that fostering alliances and synergy between media houses, legal organisations, civil society and press freedom crusaders in resisting growing pressures and hostility against journalism in the country.

The participants also called on media organizations to be upright and do the right thing with strategic collaboration, better documentation, and stronger advocacy
to avoid being find wanting or culpable.

Some of the speakers at the event include ; Editor-in-Chief Premium Times and IPI President, Musikilu Mojeed, Executive Deputy International Centre for Investigative Journalism ( ICIR), Idris Akinbayo, Managing Director Premium Times, Deputy Director CJID, Busola Ajibola,  Executive Director Digi Civic, Mojirayo Ogunlana, Senior Legal Programmme Manager-Africa, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Lydia Obiero. The event was also supported by  United Nations