The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, warning that journalists, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens are increasingly facing intimidation, arbitrary arrests, censorship and other forms of repression.
The organisation made the disclosure on Wednesday during a one-day Capacity Enhancement Workshop for Journalists on Legal Rights and Media Freedom held in Abuja, where it also unveiled findings from its latest Civic Space Report covering the period between September 2025 and February 2026.
Presenting the report, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly are being steadily eroded through harassment, intimidation, surveillance and legal actions targeting journalists, activists and other citizens.
“On social media and in real life, we are actually not free to speak. Somebody out there is trying to silence our voices,” Oluwadare said.
He added that the growing fear among Nigerians to openly express their opinions is a sign of increasing censorship.
“Once you have to think overnight before you write something you know is the truth, that is oppression. That is censorship,” he stated.
According to the report, which drew from literature reviews, SERAP’s Civic Space Tracker and an online survey involving journalists, civil society organisations, human rights defenders and citizens, violations of civic freedoms peaked in December 2025.
The findings showed that 71.1 per cent of respondents identified threats, intimidation and harassment as the most common forms of violations. Restrictions on peaceful assembly accounted for 36.5 per cent of reported cases, while censorship represented 34 per cent. Arrests of journalists made up 8.1 per cent of documented incidents.
The report also recorded cases of physical attacks against journalists and activists, identifying Lagos State as the state with the highest number of documented civic space violations during the six-month period.
Explaining the nature of intimidation, Oluwadare said threats are not always physical.
“Threat can be psychological. If someone tells you two DSS officials are waiting for you downstairs, you will not sleep. That presence alone is enough to create intimidation,” he said.
SERAP’s findings further indicated that state actors were responsible for 82 per cent of reported violations, while security agencies accounted for 59 per cent. Private citizens were linked to 24 per cent of reported incidents, largely through the use of social media platforms and the Cybercrimes Act to initiate legal actions against critics.
Public perception reflected similar concerns, with about 73 per cent of respondents stating that the rights to freedom of expression and association are either “not respected at all” or only “slightly respected.” Only 2.2 per cent believed those rights are fully respected.
Beyond unveiling the report, the workshop focused on strengthening journalists’ understanding of their legal rights and equipping them with practical tools to protect themselves while carrying out their professional responsibilities.
SERAP’s Senior Legal Adviser, Kehinde Oyewumi, led a session on constitutional rights and legal safeguards for journalists, highlighting protections available under Nigerian law and outlining the appropriate steps to take when invited by security agencies, arrested or subjected to harassment.
Another session facilitated by Legal Adviser Andrew Nwankwo examined the practical application of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, guiding participants on how to file FOI requests, statutory timelines for responses and legal remedies available when public institutions fail to disclose requested information.
Describing the FOI Act as a critical tool for transparency and accountability, Oluwadare said Nigerians have a constitutional right to access public information.
“We all have the right as Nigerians to know how much was budgeted for the FCT. That is the right to receive information,” he said.
The report identified harassment by state actors, arbitrary arrests, inadequate institutional protection, restrictive provisions of the Cybercrimes Act, particularly Section 24, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) as major challenges confronting journalists and civic actors.
Oluwadare cited the N100 million lawsuit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against SERAP as an example of legal action capable of discouraging public interest advocacy.
Among civil society organisations surveyed, 47 per cent reported experiencing harassment, intimidation and threats from state actors.
The report also expressed concern over what it described as the increasing use of national security as justification for restricting fundamental human rights and civic freedoms.
Speaking on the objective of the report and the training, Oluwadare said the initiative was aimed at empowering journalists with the legal knowledge needed to carry out their duties safely and hold public officials accountable.
“We want journalists to know their rights, understand the law and make effective use of tools like the Freedom of Information Act. Civic space must remain open for democracy to thrive,” he said.
During the interactive session, participants shared experiences of harassment at police checkpoints and while covering protests, highlighting the risks journalists continue to face in the course of their work.
SERAP reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring violations through its Civic Space Tracker, providing legal support to victims and advocating greater respect for constitutional freedoms to ensure an enabling environment for press freedom and civic engagement in Nigeria.
