By Usaini Abdullahi Abba
Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) France has concluded a two-day training workshop for journalists aimed at strengthening their capacity to identify, prevent, and respond to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in Nigeria.
The workshop, which held from Monday to Tuesday at the Hawthorn Hotel, Abuja, brought together journalists from Kano State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alongside civil society actors and legal experts, against the backdrop of rising concerns over the misuse of litigation to intimidate the media and silence public-interest reporting.
The training was organised under the Enhancing Digital Rights in Nigeria (e-RIGHTS) project, with the support of the European Union (EU).
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Head of ASF France in Nigeria, Mrs Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, described the programme as timely, given the growing trend of using legal processes to harass and silence journalists.
She warned that SLAPP suits had become a sophisticated tactic employed by powerful individuals and institutions, not necessarily to correct falsehoods but to punish journalists for exposing wrongdoing.
“A democracy can not thrive when the people who speak truth to power are constantly dragged to court as a form of punishment,” she said.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu noted that journalists are critical to the protection of human rights and good governance, as they serve as watchdogs who hold the powerful accountable and keep the public informed.
She explained that SLAPPs are not genuine attempts at seeking justice but deliberate efforts to intimidate journalists, exhaust their resources, and discourage investigative reporting.
“Such lawsuits force journalists to divert their time, money, and energy from reporting into lengthy and expensive legal battles. The aim is not necessarily to win in court but to silence critical voices with the public’s right to know as the ultimate casualty,” she said.
According to her, the training was designed to equip journalists with practical skills to recognise warning signs that distinguish legitimate defamation claims from abusive suits, as well as strategies for investigative reporting, legal review and defence against such actions.
She added that resisting SLAPPs should be seen as part of a broader human rights struggle, urging participants to expose such lawsuits as legal abuse and an attack on press freedom.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu reaffirmed ASF France’s commitment to supporting press freedom in Nigeria through capacity building initiatives and the provision of pro bono legal assistance to journalists facing intimidation.
Also speaking, an official of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Mr Ali Sabo, who represented the Executive Director, Mr Y.Z. Ya’u, described the training as both important and timely.
Sabo said the initiative aligned with CITAD’s efforts to safeguard journalists, activists, and citizens from various forms of abuse, noting that journalists are often targeted because of their role in amplifying the voices of the voiceless.
“Several cases have shown how journalists, particularly in Kano, have been arrested or harassed simply for publishing opinions and reports of public interest,” he said.
He urged participants to actively engage in the training and ensure that the knowledge gained was shared and applied within their respective media organisations.
The training featured sessions on media law, digital rights, and strategies for resisting legal intimidation against journalists, Standard Trust reports.
