Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has called on the federal government to immediately discontinue all criminal proceedings against journalists and citizens facing prosecution for criticising public officials.
Falana’s demand comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech, in which the President warned against the suppression of dissenting voices in a democratic society.
In the address delivered on June 12, President Tinubu stated that “while slander and libel must not go unaddressed, no one should suffer injustice for simply writing a negative report about me or calling me names.”
Falana, citing this as a clear endorsement of freedom of expression, urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to act in accordance with the president’s stated position.
“In line with the commitment of the President, the Attorney-General should be directed to discontinue all criminal cases pending against journalists and other Nigerians for criticising top public officers,” Falana stated.
He stressed that democracy cannot flourish when citizens are intimidated to express dissent, especially when they exercise their rights through peaceful criticism or investigative reporting.
Falana added that aggrieved public officers should resort to civil litigation if they believe they have been defamed, rather than weaponising state power through criminal defamation charges.
“Once the criminal cases are withdrawn, public officers who are aggrieved by any defamatory statement should be advised to file cases in civil courts,” he said.
The senior advocate’s statement underscores growing concerns among civil society groups about the misuse of criminal charges—such as cyberstalking and criminal defamation—to harass journalists, whistleblowers, and human rights activists.
Several journalists across the country are currently facing prosecution under controversial provisions of the Cybercrimes Act and other laws, often for stories that expose alleged misconduct by officials.
Wale Igbintade
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