By Nnaemeka Chinyere
Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) has intensified its efforts to protect press freedom in Nigeria by convening a two-day capacity-building workshop on Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
The training, held under the European Union-funded e-Rights Project, brought together journalists from across the country, particularly Lagos and Imo States, to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, resist, and respond to SLAPP cases.
ASF France, founded in 1998, is an international human rights organization dedicated to defending fundamental rights globally through pro bono legal support, strengthening judicial systems, and promoting access to justice.
Speaking during the workshop, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, described SLAPP as a growing threat to press freedom, noting that it often manifests as civil lawsuits—such as defamation, libel, or false information—used strategically to intimidate, silence, and financially drain journalists.
“This ongoing phenomenon directly affects press freedom and weakens the voices of journalists,” she said. “We cannot tolerate the manipulation of the legal system to intimidate or silence the press. Through the e-Rights Project, we are building journalists’ capacity to understand SLAPP, recognize it, and know the appropriate steps to take when confronted with such litigation.”
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu disclosed that ASF France is currently providing free legal assistance to several journalists facing SLAPP cases in Nigeria. She emphasized that the e-Rights Project—funded by the European Union—enables the organization to offer pro bono legal defense and remove the financial burden that litigation typically imposes on journalists.
She further decried the misuse of existing legislation, particularly the Cybercrimes Act, noting that it has increasingly been weaponized to target journalists, activists, and dissenting voices. She called for urgent legislative reviews to prevent abuses and protect freedom of expression.
“Nigeria ranks very high globally in the use of SLAPP,” she noted. “The Cybercrimes Act, since 2015, has been repeatedly deployed to intimidate and prosecute journalists. We need legislation that protects the press and prevents abuses that force journalists into self-censorship.”
ASF France also announced that it will be taken up the case of one of the training participants currently battling a SLAPP suit in court, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring journalists do not stand alone.
One of the resource persons, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Lagos, Dr. Abiodun Odusote, delivered lectures on SLAPP and Human Rights, including indicators, manifestations in Nigeria, and procedural safeguards. He noted that journalists, activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders increasingly face retaliatory litigation for expressing critical opinions about government institutions or powerful individuals.
“We have seen criminal defamation charges, injunctions compelling journalists to pull down reports, and various tactics designed to gag and punish them,” he said.
Odusote urged journalists to build strong professional networks, seek help from reputable NGOs like ASF France when necessary, and always engage legal counsel when faced with potential SLAPP cases. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to enact anti-SLAPP legislation to prevent the weaponization of the legal system.
Also facilitating the training was Dr. Folashade Adegbite, who taught sessions on freedom of expression, the role of the media, and best practices for “SLAPP-proofing” investigative journalism. She stressed the importance of journalists upholding accuracy, fairness, documentation, and verification in their reportage, which she said is a major means of avoiding and defending SLAPP cases.
“The media are the watchdog of the society, and where the press becomes silent, democracy weakens,” she said. Adegbite urged journalists not to abandon their responsibilities despite the growing risks.
Participants worked in groups to analyze sample SLAPP notices and discussed actionable strategies for responding effectively to such cases. The sessions highlighted both legal and practical approaches to safeguarding press freedom.
They were also awarded certificates for their active participation in the training.
The workshop reinforces ASF France’s broader mission of defending human rights, supporting legal reforms, and ensuring journalists in Nigeria are empowered and protected as they carry out their essential democratic duties.
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