Politics
By Anthony Isibor
A coalition of 52 Nigerian civil society organisations and advocacy groups has expressed concern over the handling of a reported defamation judgment involving officials of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, warning that recent developments could threaten civic freedoms, judicial transparency and constitutional democracy in the country.
In a joint statement dated May 11, the organisations said that they were worried by growing public discussions surrounding the judgment despite reports that the Certified True Copy, CTC, and full text of the ruling had not yet been publicly released.
The groups argued that the situation raises questions about procedural fairness, institutional responsibility and adherence to due process.
According to the statement, access to court judgments is essential to guaranteeing fair hearing and enabling parties to exercise their constitutional right of appeal.
Citing Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the organisations noted that every Nigerian is entitled to a fair hearing before an independent and impartial court, adding that transparency and access to judicial decisions form part of that guarantee.
They also referenced Sections 39(1) and 22 of the Constitution, which protect freedom of expression and assign the media and civic actors the responsibility of holding government accountable.
The coalition further relied on international human rights instruments, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of expression and access to information.
The organisations warned that delays in releasing judgments or Certified True Copies in matters of public importance could undermine confidence in the judiciary and weaken democratic institutions.
“We are equally concerned by the apparent delay in the release of the Certified True Copy of the judgment. Timely access to judgments is central to the administration of justice,” the statement read.
The groups maintained that without access to the judgment, litigants may be unable to properly assess their legal position or pursue informed appellate review.
They also cautioned against what they described as the increasing use of defamation suits and coercive legal measures against civil society organisations engaged in anti-corruption and accountability advocacy.
According to them, democratic societies depend on the ability of civic groups to question authority and engage in public-interest advocacy without fear of intimidation or retaliation.
The coalition stressed that seeking appellate review of a judgment should not be interpreted as contempt for the judiciary or disregard for the rule of law.
Among their demands, the groups called for the immediate release of the Certified True Copy of the judgment, respect for constitutional and international human rights protections and greater restraint in public commentary on judicial matters where official court records are not publicly available.
They also urged Nigerian institutions to protect civic space and uphold democratic accountability, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
The signatories to the statement include prominent organisations such as Amnesty International Nigeria, ActionAid Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, Centre for Democracy and Development, Media Rights Agenda, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Yiaga Africa and Transition Monitoring Group, among others.
A.I
May 16, 2026
Tags: Media Rights Agenda SERAP Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project YIAGA Africa