Nigeria’s civic space is rapidly eroding at an alarming rate, a report by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) reveals. Journalists, activists and ordinary citizens’ freedoms like the right to freedom of expression, and assembly are under severe threat, placing Nigeria’s democracy at risk.
At the heart of these crackdowns is the Nigerian Police, which accounts for nearly half of all the state-led infringements on citizens’ freedoms. The report identifies both state and non-state actors as leading perpetrators of civic space violations, noting that the police contribute 49 percent of the crackdowns carried out by state actors.
The finding aligns with a longstanding pattern in which law-enforcement agencies, tasked with protecting citizens, often become instruments of intimidation. For instance, between January 1 and October 31 last year, law enforcement and security agencies were responsible for 45 out of 69 reported attacks on journalists, accounting for approximately 65 percent of the total incidents, according to a report by Media Right Agenda (MRA), a non-profit organisation advocating for media freedom and digital rights.
Notably, the Nigeria Police has a track record of human rights abuses. According to a survey conducted by NOIPolls, a research think tank in West Africa, the officers are the country’s worst violators of human rights, forcing Nigerians to protest against police brutality many times, but no significant change has been recorded.
The WSCIJ report monitors news reports and civic space infractions during key 2023 political events, and employs a multi-layered, media report-driven approach to present its findings. In addition to the Police, other significant state actors include politicians, accounting for 19 percent and the Nigerian Army drawing six percent of the violations.
Non-state Human Rights Violators
On the non-state actor desk, the findings are equally alarming, with political thugs implicated in a staggering 79 percent of attacks. Mob attacks accounted for five percent, religious extremists two percent and unidentified assailants five percent of non-state-led violations.
For years, political thugs have become tools for disruption of Nigeria’s civic space, especially during elections. For instance, during the February 2024 Edo state governorship primaries, political thugs invaded several ward centres, harassing delegates and preventing them from voting freely. In parts of Benin City and Ikpoba-Okha, thugs destroyed ballot materials, chased party agents away, and assaulted journalists attempting to film the chaos. Several reporters reported having their cameras smashed or being forced to delete footage. This incident directly violated the civic rights of voters, party members, and journalists by obstructing political participation and suppressing transparency.
The WSCIJ report equally underscores the immense risks faced by the press, demonstrating how they are hindered from performing their role as democracy’s watchdog. According to the report, 90 percent of assaults on journalists occur while they are in the line of duty. Beyond physical harm, the ability of journalists to work is frequently restricted, with 27 percent of cases involving journalists being barred from carrying out their duties.
One of such cases is exemplified in February 2023, when security forces arrested Haruna Mohammed Salisu, publisher of WikkiTimes, an online investigative platform, following orders from state governor Bala Mohammed. The situation worsened in August 2024 when security personnel attached to the governor threatened journalists in the line of duty.
Legal and administrative tools of repression also target the press, resulting in 15 percent of cases involving individuals journalists and other citizens facing charges, and 10 percent involving instances of detention.
The most critical consequence of the documented assaults is the erosion of fundamental civil liberties, which are described as the lifeblood of every democracy. Despite constitutional safeguards, the report shows freedom of expression was stifled in 46 percent of the instances, making it the most targeted right. While the right to freedom of peaceful assembly was eroded in 31 percent of the cases, directly correlating with the suppression observed at protest grounds. Freedom of participation was restricted in 19 percent of the situations.
The report calls for urgent, multi-stakeholder action to reverse civic decline and safeguard journalism as a cornerstone of democracy, stating that “the surge in violent and non-violent infringements, especially during election seasons, signals legal safeguards and enforcement gaps.”
“It is crucial to review and amend existing laws to explicitly protect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and participation, and ensure that they align with international human rights standards,” the report added.
