The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Describing the action of the secret police as an arbitrary attack on press freedom, SERAP called on President Bola Tinubu to order Sodiq’s immediate release.
In a statement issued on Thursday, SERAP condemned the fact that Sodiq is being detained solely for carrying out her legitimate duties as a journalist and exercising her fundamental human rights.
“We strongly condemn the arbitrary arrest and detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq by the Department of State Services (DSS) and call on President Bola Tinubu to direct the DSS to immediately release her, as she is detained solely for the peaceful exercise of her human rights and for carrying out her legitimate work as a journalist,” SERAP said.
SERAP described Sodiq’s detention as a direct assault on media freedom, warning that it undermines the constitutional rights of Nigerians to access information and threatens democratic accountability.
“The reported arrest and detention of Ms Sodiq represent yet another disturbing attack on press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to seek, receive and impart information,” SERAP said.
“Journalism is not a crime. No journalist should be subjected to arrest, detention, intimidation, harassment or reprisals simply for carrying out professional duties or reporting on matters of public interest.”
SERAP maintained that a free and independent press is indispensable to democracy, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
The rights group further stressed, “The rule of law requires all deprivations of liberty to comply strictly with legality, necessity, proportionality and judicial oversight, and that arbitrary detention has no place in a democratic society.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the use of arbitrary detention and other forms of intimidation to silence journalists, critics, and human rights defenders.
“The detention of Ms Sodiq sends a chilling message to journalists across the country and risks further shrinking Nigeria’s civic space.”
SERAP also renewed its demand for the Nigerian government to withdraw what it described as politically motivated charges against human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
“We are again calling on the Tinubu administration to immediately withdraw the politically motivated and unfounded charges against journalist Sowore, and allow him to freely carry out his journalistic, civic and political activities without intimidation, harassment or reprisals,” SERAP said.
“The charges and lawsuits against Mr Sowore appear to be intended to intimidate, harass and silence him for peacefully exercising his human rights.
“They constitute an unnecessary, disproportionate and unjustifiable interference with his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and risk creating a chilling effect on journalists, human rights defenders and other critical voices across Nigeria.”
The group accused the Nigerian authorities of increasingly relying on restrictive laws and legal actions to suppress dissent.
SERAP said, “The government of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s state governors, lawmakers and others must immediately stop the ongoing intimidation and harassment of journalists, activists, bloggers and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the country simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.
“Nigerian authorities must end the use of some provisions of the Cybercrimes Act, criminal and penal codes, and other repressive laws to target journalists, activists, CSOs, and critics peacefully expressing their views online, and immediately release those arbitrarily detained across the country.
“Using repressive laws and strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) lawsuits to intimidate and harass journalists, activists, bloggers, and CSOs erodes democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law in Nigeria.”
SERAP maintained that such actions violate both Nigeria’s Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.
“The use of repressive laws and SLAPP lawsuits to crack down on peaceful dissent is entirely inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations, including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which the country is a state party.”
The group urged public officials to demonstrate tolerance for criticism and respect for independent journalism.
“Nigerian authorities at all levels should show that they tolerate peaceful dissent and media freedom if the Nigerian people are to have any chance of holding them accountable on their constitutional oath of office, commitments, and promises,” SERAP stated.
“We are deeply concerned that Nigerian authorities at all levels and other actors continue to use repressive laws and misuse the judicial processes to normalize repression of the rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, activists, opposition politicians, artists, and other Nigerians.”
According to the group, “Impunity for those who threaten, intimidate, and harass journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists contributes to the hostile environment for these defenders of constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights in Nigeria.
“The right to freedom of expression applies to all kinds of information and ideas, including those that may shock, offend or disturb.”
SERAP further called on President Tinubu to direct security agencies and state governments to uphold constitutional rights and ensure respect for press freedom.
The group said, “We urge President Tinubu and his government to publicly call on Nigeria’s state governors, the Nigerian Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to uphold and ensure full respect for the rights of everyone in the country, including journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and activists.
“We also call on President Tinubu and his government, the country’s 36 governors, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister to genuinely uphold human rights, press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law.
“We urge the international community to hold Nigerian authorities to account for violations of human rights in the country, including by calling on the authorities at both the Federal and state levels to immediately and unconditionally release anyone detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights.”
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
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