The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the United Nations to urgently demand answers from the Nigerian authorities over the reported deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State and the alleged use of lethal force against protesters in Minna.
SERAP made the demand in an urgent appeal dated September 18, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, to four UN Special Rapporteurs covering extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; freedom of peaceful assembly and association; freedom of opinion and expression; and the situation of human rights defenders.
According to SERAP, the 37 persons were arrested on September 15 and 16 during NSCDC operations targeting suspected illegal and artisanal mining activities in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State and were subsequently detained in Minna. Their deaths were reportedly announced on September 17, triggering protests in the state capital the following day.
The organisation said reports that security forces used tear gas and firearms to disperse the protesters, resulting in deaths and serious injuries, required urgent and independent investigation. It stressed, however, that the precise circumstances surrounding both the deaths in custody and the alleged shootings had yet to be independently established.
SERAP told the UN that the authorities must establish the identities of the 37 deceased persons, determine the circumstances and causes of their deaths, establish the conditions under which they were detained and ascertain the medical care provided to them, as well as the responsibility of individual officers and commanders where wrongdoing is established.
“Thirty-seven people went into NSCDC custody. They came out dead. Nigerians deserve to know what happened,” SERAP said.
The organisation called for an investigation that is independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, effective and transparent, insisting that any investigative body must be independent of security agencies implicated in the alleged violations.
SERAP also urged the UN Special Rapporteurs to seek detailed information from the Nigerian Government on the legal basis for the arrests and detention, the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the number and status of protesters reportedly killed or injured in Minna.
It further called for the immediate preservation of physical, documentary, digital, medical and forensic evidence relating to the incidents, with families of victims given timely access to relevant information from the investigations.
On the Minna protests, SERAP said the reported deployment of tear gas and firearms by security forces raised serious concerns about compliance with international standards governing the use of force against demonstrators.
“The answer to deaths in custody cannot be more deaths on the streets,” the organisation said, while recalling a 2022 communication by UN Special Procedures mandate holders to the Nigerian Government during the #EndSARS protests, in which they expressed concern over reports of lethal force against unarmed protesters.
SERAP urged the authorities to ensure accountability for security personnel reasonably suspected of unlawful killings, excessive use of force or other violations, subject to due process, and provide effective remedies, including compensation and other appropriate forms of reparation, where violations are established.
The organisation also asked the UN to press the Nigerian Government to protect protesters, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, witnesses and relatives of victims from intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest and reprisals.
It further called for measures to prevent a recurrence, including improved training, clearer operational rules, command accountability and independent oversight of the NSCDC and other law enforcement agencies.
SERAP said the UN Special Procedures should consider further action within their mandates, including additional communication with the Nigerian Government and coordination with other relevant UN human rights mechanisms.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has intensified its campaign for youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process, urging university students and other eligible young Nigerians to register, collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and play a more active role in shaping the country’s future.
The Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, gave the charge at a voter education and civic sensitisation programme, tagged “Project New Nigeria and Voter Education,” held at the Abia State University, Uturu.
Ogbuku, represented by the Director, Social Services, Engr. Jeremiah Oritsejolomi, said the initiative was designed to deepen civic awareness and encourage responsible participation in the democratic process, particularly among young people in the Niger Delta.
He said the campaign had already been taken to several universities in the region, including Rivers State University, stressing that university communities remained strategic to the initiative because of their large population of young Nigerians.
According to him, despite their numerical strength, many young people remain disengaged from elections and other aspects of civic participation, a situation he said informed the decision by the commission to take voter education directly to campuses.
Ogbuku urged eligible students to register to vote, obtain their PVCs and make informed choices at elections, while assuring that deserving students would also receive educational support materials under the programme.
The initiative’s Convener, Foundation for Citizens Empowerment and Sensitisation on Civic Responsibility, Mr Samuel Nzidee, said Project New Nigeria was conceived by young Nigerians to engage students and amplify their voices on issues affecting university communities.
Nzidee argued that students possessed significant civic influence through their participation in elections, urging them to deploy their collective voice to demand greater attention to challenges such as accommodation, quality of education, respectful student-lecturer relations and affordability of education.
He said young Nigerians should move beyond being passive observers of governance and become more actively involved in decision-making, adding that their participation was necessary to ensure that issues affecting them received adequate attention.
As part of the intervention, Nzidee disclosed that tuition fees would be provided for 200 returning students, while other beneficiaries would receive laptops, tablets and other educational support materials. He urged the students to remain informed, register to vote, collect their PVCs and participate responsibly in the forthcoming elections.
The Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University, Prof. Ndukwe Okeudo, represented by the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Dick Uduma, commended the NDDC for bringing the sensitisation programme to the university.
Okeudo said voter education was essential to helping Nigerians understand their civic responsibilities and participate meaningfully in the democratic process.
He also urged the beneficiaries of the educational support programme to conduct themselves responsibly and uphold the reputation of the institution.
The Rivers State Government is to commence the enrolment of vulnerable persons affected by flooding into the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), as part of measures to cushion the health and economic consequences of the disaster.
The intervention, announced by the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, is targeted particularly at elderly persons, children and pregnant women among flood victims, who will be identified and enrolled to access free medical treatment at designated health centres across the state.
Odu disclosed this yesterday while presenting relief materials to flood-affected residents in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (PHALGA) and Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
She said the state government was collaborating with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and RIVCHPP to provide both immediate relief and healthcare support to residents affected by the floods. According to her, the health intervention was designed to ensure that the medical needs of flood victims were not overlooked amid the destruction of homes, loss of property and disruption of livelihoods caused by the flooding.
“The health needs of persons affected by flooding must also be addressed,” the deputy governor said, explaining that vulnerable victims would be properly identified and enrolled in the state’s health protection programme.
The Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, said flooding often resulted in the loss of infrastructure and livelihoods, while exposing affected communities to serious health challenges. Agala assured that RIVCHPP would enrol flood victims into the scheme to enable them access quality healthcare services free of charge.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Innocent Worgu Wachukwu, said the government was concerned about the health condition of residents displaced or otherwise affected by the floods, assuring that they would have access to RIVCHPP services. Beyond the health intervention, the state government distributed food and non-food relief materials to affected residents in PHALGA and Obio/Akpor.
Odu, who commended the Port Harcourt City Council Chairman, Hon. Allwell Ihunda, for clearing drains and waterways, urged residents to stop dumping refuse in gutters and drainage channels.
She also appealed to developers to desist from blocking natural waterways and drainage channels with buildings and other structures, stressing that effective management of the recurring flooding required the cooperation of government, residents and other stakeholders.
In Obio/Akpor, Odu, who spoke through the Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi S. I. Brown, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara had directed the Ministry of Environment to investigate the root causes of the flooding and recommend sustainable solutions. She conveyed the governor’s sympathy to affected residents and assured them of the government’s commitment to finding lasting solutions to the recurring flooding in the area.
Receiving the relief materials on behalf of the Obio/Akpor Council Chairman, the Vice Chairman, Hon. Joyce Nyeche, thanked the governor and deputy governor for the intervention, assuring that the materials would be distributed to residents affected by the floods.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, disclosed that the Ministry had inspected Community Secondary School, Rumuopara, one of the schools affected by the flooding, and said government had identified the problem and would work towards addressing it.
The Federal Government has announced plans to convene the National Youth Confab 2026 in October, with 366 young Nigerians expected to participate in the process of articulating policy proposals and proffering solutions to the challenges confronting the country.
The figure comprises one youth delegate from each of Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies and six representatives of Nigerians in the diaspora. Other relevant stakeholders are also expected to participate in the engagement.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference held at the Press Gallery, Presidential Villa, Abuja, to herald the conference.
Themed “Next Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future,” the two-week engagement will commence with a nationwide virtual consultation, followed by a physical conference in Abuja.
In a statement posted on the official X handle by Omolara Esan Director, Information and Public Relations, Olawande said the confab was designed to provide young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 with a platform to articulate their concerns, present policy proposals and contribute practical solutions to national challenges.
“Young Nigerians are not merely leaders of tomorrow; they are partners in nation-building today. Their ideas, experiences and participation are essential to the progress of our country,” he said.
He said deliberations would focus on governance and leadership; economic transformation and job creation; education and skills development; technology and innovation; climate change and energy transition; as well as social harmony and security.
The minister said the initiative was intended to move beyond dialogue to tangible outcomes, stressing that young Nigerians must be involved in crafting solutions to the country’s problems. “This is an opportunity to listen, engage, cooperate and move from conversation to concrete action,” he said.
To ensure that the outcomes of the engagement are sustained and effectively implemented, Olawande disclosed that mechanisms including a Multi-Stakeholder Youth Confab Taskforce, Youth Confab Impact Index and a youth-led monitoring and accountability framework would be established.
He called on young Nigerians across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the diaspora to participate actively by submitting their ideas, proposals and experiences.
“The Federal Ministry of Youth Development is ready to listen, and the Federal Government is ready to engage. We are calling on young Nigerians to step forward and join us in shaping the Nigeria of today and the Nigeria of tomorrow,” he said.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Chairman of the National Youth Confab Committee, Dr Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, described the confab as an opportunity to deepen youth participation in national development.
She said the engagement would help ensure that young Nigerians were actively involved in shaping solutions to issues affecting their generation. Keshinro urged young Nigerians and relevant stakeholders to embrace the process and contribute meaningfully to the achievement of its objectives.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media, Otega Ogra, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the initiative and members of the National Youth Confab Committee for accepting the responsibility of translating the President’s vision for young Nigerians into a meaningful national engagement.
Ogra said the administration had continued to create opportunities for young Nigerians to occupy critical positions and contribute to national development.
“The present government is betting on young Nigerians to move the country forward. We want you to bring your ideas to the Confab. The door is open for Nigerians to tell us how they want the country to be,” he said.
He urged young Nigerians to use the opportunity to present innovative ideas and practical solutions capable of contributing to the sustainable development of the country.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has threatened to issue warrants of arrest against government officials and the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) over their failure to appear before a committee investigating funds released to the institution.
The warning was issued on Wednesday by the seven-member ad hoc committee, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, during its sitting in Port Harcourt.
The committee is investigating the financial relationship between the Rivers State Government and PAMO University from 2017 to date, including funds reportedly released for scholarship programmes for Rivers indigenes.
Those summoned to appear were the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University, the Commissioner for Finance, the Accountant-General of Rivers State, the Commissioner for Education and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education.
However, the Vice-Chancellor, Commissioner for Finance and Accountant-General failed to attend the sitting. The Commissioner for Education, Dr Peter Nwagor, was present and responded to questions from the lawmakers.
Expressing disappointment over the absence of the officials, Maol directed them to appear before the committee on Thursday, September 24.
He warned that the Assembly would invoke its constitutional powers to compel their attendance if they failed to honour the fresh invitation, including the possibility of issuing warrants of arrest.
The committee is seeking clarification on the total amount released to PAMO University over the years, how the funds were disbursed and whether they were used for the purposes for which they were provided.
The probe followed questions raised by the Assembly over the proposed allocation of billions of naira to PAMO University in the 2026 state budget. The House had earlier removed more than N6 billion earmarked for the institution before the appropriation law was passed.
The development became another point of contention in the ongoing disagreement between the legislature and the executive over public spending.
The committee was subsequently constituted under Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to examine the funding of PAMO University since its establishment.
Its terms of reference include determining the total amount released by the Rivers State Government to the university, assessing whether the funds were properly utilised and establishing the number and identities of beneficiaries under the scholarship programme.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the House on or before September 30, 2026.
Speaker Martin Amaewhule had directed the committee to conduct the investigation diligently and ensure that all relevant parties were given a fair hearing.
PAMO University was founded by former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili, who also serves as its Pro-Chancellor. The institution has received funding from the Rivers State Government over the years, including support linked to scholarship arrangements for Rivers indigenes.
Maol said the committee would not abandon the investigation because some of the invited officials failed to appear, stressing that the exercise was aimed at accounting for public funds released to the university.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has reopened the verification of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells, a move that could affect the distribution of the 13 per cent derivation revenue among oil-producing states.
The commission said the fresh exercise became necessary after states raised claims, counterclaims and complaints about an earlier verification report, particularly the coordinates and locations of disputed wells.
RMAFC disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Head of Information and Public Relations Unit, Maryam Umar-Yusuf, following the inauguration of a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee to verify disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells from 2017 to date.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Chairman of RMAFC, Dr Mohammed Shehu, said the commission had discarded the previous draft report because of concerns raised by various states.
“The Chairman explained that the Commission discarded the previous draft report on the oil and gas wells verification exercise following several claims, counterclaims and complaints from various States,” the statement said.
The fresh verification is significant because the location of producing oil and gas assets determines the states entitled to derivation revenue from them. Any changes to the verified locations of wells could therefore have implications for the allocation of the 13 per cent derivation fund.
Shehu said the exercise was part of RMAFC’s constitutional responsibility to monitor revenue accruing to and disbursed from the Federation Account, adding that it was intended to ensure equitable distribution of derivation revenue.
He directed the reconstituted committee to ensure that the coordinates, maps and boundaries used in determining the locations of affected wells reflected the actual situation on the ground.
The technical team is expected to conduct ground-level verification, field inspections and technical analysis before preparing an initial report.
The second tier, an Executive Committee led by the RMAFC leadership, will provide strategic direction, coordinate the participating agencies and oversee final approvals before the findings are presented for formal ratification.
Shehu further disclosed that relevant security agencies would be engaged to provide administrative clearances, tactical assistance and security coverage for officials conducting field operations, particularly in difficult coastal and other complex environments.
To improve transparency, Surveyors-General from the affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) will participate as observers.
The RMAFC chairman urged members of the committee to carry out the assignment with integrity and objectivity, saying the goal was to achieve “clarity, fairness, stability and lasting resolution of disputes over oil and gas wells among beneficiary States.”
He expressed confidence that the fresh verification would strengthen the credibility of the country’s revenue monitoring and allocation process.
Also speaking, the Secretary of RMAFC, Tosin Adeyanju, urged members of the committee to prioritise national interest and ensure fairness in carrying out the assignment.
Adeyanju noted that the committee’s work would attract greater scrutiny because of concerns arising from previous verification exercises. He called for objectivity, fairness and diligence, expressing optimism that the committee would produce a credible outcome capable of resolving outstanding concerns among the affected states.
The inauguration was attended by the Chairman of the Crude Oil Monitoring Committee and RMAFC Federal Commissioner representing Kano State, Adamu Abdu Fanda, alongside commissioners representing Osun, Edo, Yobe, Taraba, Zamfara, Jigawa and Ogun states. Representatives of other relevant government agencies were also present.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is developing a Cyber Research Academy to equip young Nigerians with information and communication technology (ICT) and research skills, its Executive Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has said. This was disclosed in a release posted on the official X account of the EFCC.
Olukoyede disclosed this on Thursday, September 17, 2026, when he received a delegation of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN), led by its Chairman, Prof. Ayodeji Omole, on a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
He said the initiative was motivated by the need to discourage young people from engaging in criminal activities and redirect their skills towards productive ventures.
According to him, the academy would provide a platform for developing the capacity of young Nigerians in ICT and research, with universities expected to be incorporated into the structure over time.
“We need to discourage the younger ones from doing the wrong things and let them know the consequences. We need to encourage them to channel their skills to add value to themselves. That is what motivated us into developing a Cyber Research Academy,” Olukoyede said.
He added, “With time, we will incorporate the universities into this structure. The idea is to develop the skills of our younger ones in the area of ICT and research.”
The EFCC chairman also underscored the importance of education to national development, saying a country deprived of a functional education system could not achieve meaningful progress or produce effective leadership.
His remarks followed COPSUN’s call for stronger collaboration between the anti-graft agency and state-owned universities, including the establishment of EFCC institutes within universities to support research, knowledge sharing and anti-corruption education.
Omole said the proposed partnership would enable the Commission to leverage the expertise of university lecturers in research and other areas, while exposing students to the dangers of corruption and cybercrime.
“We appeal that the Commission collaborates with our universities. The Executive Chairman cannot fight corruption alone. The Commission needs the support of our lecturers (experts) in the Universities in areas such as research among others. The opportunities will also be used to train our students against corruption, cybercrimes,” he said.
The COPSUN chairman also commended Olukoyede for his support for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that the scheme had helped prevent some financially constrained students from dropping out of university.
He urged the EFCC chairman to sustain his support for the initiative and called for deeper cooperation between the Commission and state-owned universities. “We appreciate the EFCC Chairman for the role he has played in NELFUND.
“As university policy makers, we know what NELFUND has done in the lives of some students who ordinarily would have dropped out of school as a result of financial constraint. We continue to encourage the Executive Chairman and his team to support the scheme,” Omole said.
In August 2026, President Bola Tinubu directed that additional funds recovered by the EFCC be diverted to NELFUND to help sustain its growing funding obligations.
NDDC Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, shakes hands with the Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Dr Godwin Ogedegbe, during the opening of a three-day sensitisation programme for Contractors and Consultants in Port Harcourt.With them are the NDDC Director, Human Resources and Administration, Kelechi Nwelue (2nd right); the Keynote Speaker, Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert (right); and the National spokesperson, PANDEF’s Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi (left).
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has urged contractors and consultants handling its projects to embrace early intervention and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to prevent conflicts from delaying project delivery and undermining sustainable development in the region.
The commission’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, gave the charge on Wednesday in Port Harcourt at the opening of a three-day sensitisation programme for contractors and consultants.
In a statement signed and issued by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director, Corporate Affairs of the commission, Ogbuku, who was represented by the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, said disagreements could arise during project execution, but stressed that the speed and professionalism with which they were resolved were critical to the success of projects.
He said every project was more than a contract, adding that when conflicts stalled development, the consequences extended beyond contractors and the NDDC to communities waiting for infrastructure and other interventions.
According to him, unresolved disputes could delay completion, increase costs and strain relationships among the commission, contractors, consultants and host communities.
“We want our contractors and consultants to understand that you are not merely participants in project execution; you are also critical first responders in conflict management. You are often closest to the projects, closest to the community and closest to emerging issues,” Ogbuku stated.
He urged stakeholders to build a culture of early intervention, stressing that conflicts should be identified and managed before they escalate into crises.
“We should not wait for conflicts to become crises before we act. Let us identify them early, manage them professionally and resolve them effectively,” he said.
The managing director noted that preventing conflicts, resolving disputes promptly and delivering projects successfully would contribute to a more peaceful, productive and prosperous Niger Delta.
Also speaking, the Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution Department, Dr Godwin Ogedegbe, said the programme was organised to promote sustainable development in the region.
Ogedegbe noted that although the Niger Delta was endowed with abundant resources and vibrant communities, its complex social, economic and environmental realities could generate tensions and disputes capable of undermining development projects if left unmanaged.
He said conflict sensitivity required deliberate recognition and understanding of the communities where the NDDC operated, adding that the commission’s interventions should foster inclusion, trust and cooperation rather than create divisions.
According to him, ADR provides a structured, efficient and peaceful mechanism for resolving disputes through dialogue, fairness and mutual respect, rather than confrontation and litigation.
He urged participants to share their experiences and embrace the principles discussed during the programme, saying stakeholders could collectively build a culture of development anchored on peace, inclusivity and sustainability.
In his keynote address, titled, “Conflict Sensitivity and Alternative Dispute Resolution: Application in Project Execution for Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta,” the Dean, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Olawale, advised contractors and consultants to recognise conflict risks early and select appropriate ADR processes.
Olawale said doing so would help keep projects on course while protecting relationships, public value and sustainable development outcomes.
He emphasised that a technically sound project could fail if relationships, expectations and grievances were not properly managed. The programme was organised by the NDDC’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Department.
It is happening again. Under President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians are facing an increasingly repressive political and legal environment. Like the Muhammadu Buhari government before it, the Tinubu administration is making an utter mockery of Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations to respect human rights and uphold the rule of law.
There is something deeply troubling about a country in which the security agency created to protect the state and its people increasingly finds itself in court seeking to restrain citizens from speaking, organising and criticising those in power.
Nigeria has been here before. But under Tinubu, threats, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders, activists, journalists and civil society organisations are being compounded by the growing weaponisation of the criminal justice system, particularly by the Department of State Services (DSS), to silence peaceful dissent and intimidate critics.
Restrictions on civic space do not always require soldiers on the streets or newspapers being shut down. They can take less spectacular but no less serious forms: arbitrary arrest and detention, unlawful surveillance, unfair criminal prosecutions, baseless defamation lawsuits and strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) designed to make dissent costly and dangerous.
The recent cases involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Professor Pat Utomi and opposition activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore represent a disturbing hat-trick of injustice, showing how the machinery of justice is increasingly being misused to suppress dissent under the Tinubu administration.
SERAP was established as a non-governmental organisation in 2004 and has, under successive administrations from Olusegun Obasanjo to Tinubu, used advocacy and public-interest litigation to demand accountability and insist that governments respect the rule of law. It has consistently challenged abuses of power and spoken truth to power.
Even the Buhari administration, despite its grave and well-documented human rights record and repeated clashes with SERAP, did not resort to judicial harassment of the organisation or seek to use the courts to silence it. SERAP challenged the government, won some cases, lost others and continued to criticise its policies openly. The contrast makes its present predicament under Tinubu all the more disturbing.
SERAP’s record speaks for itself. In 2022, SERAP and 176 Nigerians successfully challenged Buhari’s Twitter suspension before the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which held that it violated the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom. SERAP and the Nigerian Guild of Editors also secured an interim injunction in 2026 restraining the National Broadcasting Commission from enforcing several repressive provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
SERAP has also secured other important court victories. The ECOWAS Court awarded journalist Agba Jalingo ₦30 million for arbitrary detention and ill-treatment, while the Federal High Court ordered disclosure of about $5 billion in recovered Abacha loot and, more recently, publication of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forensic audit report and the names of those indicted.
These cases show what SERAP has consistently done: use the courts to hold governments and public institutions accountable.
The tragic irony is that, after more than two decades of defending human rights and challenging abuses of power, SERAP now faces judicial harassment from the very machinery of state it has sought to hold accountable.
The irony is even more striking in the case of Nuhu Ribadu, now Nigeria’s National Security Adviser. SERAP repeatedly defended Ribadu when he was targeted for confronting corruption. In 2008, when the Yar’Adua administration removed him as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman and sent him on a purported “refresher course”, SERAP condemned the move, petitioned the United Nations against his removal and threatened legal action over his replacement.
Later that year, after Ribadu survived assassination attempts, SERAP demanded an immediate investigation and protection for his life.
In 2009, Ribadu became the inaugural recipient of the Civil Society Anti-Corruption Defender Award, an initiative I helped establish to recognise the courage of activists, human rights defenders and civil society organisations committed to fighting corruption.
Today, under Ribadu’s watch as National Security Adviser, the DSS is weaponizing the judicial system against SERAP and other critics. The same organisation that once defended Ribadu against harassment, intimidation and threats to his life is now facing similar tactics of harassment and intimidation for doing its own human rights work.
In September 2024, SERAP called on President Tinubu to investigate allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The following day, DSS officials reportedly invaded SERAP’s Abuja office, demanding to see its directors. Two officials later sued SERAP for defamation over its public account of the incident and allegations concerning their conduct.
In May 2026, the Federal Capital Territory High Court awarded ₦100 million in damages against SERAP and ordered an apology, costs and post-judgment interest. SERAP has appealed and sought a stay of execution, arguing that the judgment contains serious legal and evidential errors.
I have read the judgment against SERAP and, in my view, to say that it is the ultimate travesty of justice would be a disservice to that phrase, not least because of the serious legal and evidential concerns it raises and the apparent failure to properly assess key evidence and available defences. It is yet another judicial decision that raises troubling questions about the rule of law, judicial independence and whether civil society organisations can challenge abuses of state power without fear of reprisals.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, and more than 100 Nigerian civil society organisations have also condemned the judgment, arguing that it risks turning defamation law into a tool of intimidation that chills legitimate criticism and public-interest advocacy.
The case involving Professor Pat Utomi presents a different but equally troubling illustration. In 2025, the DSS went to court over Utomi’s proposal for a “shadow government”, asking the Federal High Court to declare the initiative unconstitutional and restrain him and his associates from pursuing it. The DSS also sought restrictions on public rallies, lectures and media appearances promoting the initiative, characterising it as a threat to the constitutional order and national security.
The state has legitimate powers to investigate genuine threats to national security. But “national security” cannot become a pretext for suppressing the peaceful exercise of human rights or stifling political dissent. Any restriction must be grounded in law, necessary and proportionate, and based on a specific and demonstrable threat. A political initiative cannot be treated as a security threat simply because it challenges those in power, is unpopular or politically inconvenient.
The case of Omoyele Sowore is another disturbing example. The DSS brought a cybercrime lawsuit against Sowore over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as a “criminal”. A Federal High Court subsequently dismissed his no-case submission and held that he had a case to answer.
This raises a fundamental question: if calling a president a “criminal” on social media becomes a matter for the country’s secret police, where does legitimate political criticism end? Public officials cannot reasonably expect protection from every harsh, offensive or intemperate political opinion. The answer to such criticism should ordinarily be evidence, explanation and political accountability—not criminal charges or unfair prosecution against those who express critical views of the authorities.
There is a striking contradiction here. President Tinubu has repeatedly spoken about his commitment to the rule of law and tolerance for criticism. In his 2025 Democracy Day address, he said: “No one should bear the brunt of injustice for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names. Democracy requires a fair degree of tolerance for harsh words and stinging insults. Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”
Those are powerful words. But words must be matched by action. It is difficult to reconcile Tinubu’s stated commitment to the right to freedom of expression with his apparent willingness to allow or condone the abuse of the judicial system by the DSS to target critics and civil society organisations.
If Tinubu and his government truly believe that Nigerians should be free to criticise and even insult him and his government, they cannot remain silent while the machinery of the state is used to punish exactly that kind of speech. At the very least, the President’s failure to call the DSS to abide by Nigeria’s human rights obligations risks being seen as tacit approval of the abuse.
Amnesty International’s State of the World’s Human Rights: April 2026 documented arrests and detention of journalists, activists and others expressing dissent in Nigeria, as well as police assaults on journalists, the use of tear gas against peaceful protesters, confiscation of equipment and prosecutions under the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws. The report points to serious concerns about the shrinking space for the right to freedom of expression and media freedom.
The National Assembly is also considering bills that if passed could further restrict civil society, foreign assistance and online expression.
This is how repression and other authoritarian practices are normalised and legitimised.
The contradiction is particularly troubling because President Tinubu and several prominent figures now serving in his government were themselves victims of serious human rights violations under previous governments. They know the importance of activists, journalists and civil society organisations speaking out when governments abuse their powers.
Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
The first duty of government is to uphold the law. A society governed by the rule of law must not only tolerate but enable a safe environment for criticism, dissent, investigative journalism and organisations whose purpose is to scrutinise public power. Governments have disagreed with SERAP and defended themselves against its lawsuits. That is how constitutional government is supposed to work.
The lesson from Ribadu is particularly important. SERAP once defended a public official when he was targeted for doing his job too boldly. Today, it is the organisation itself that needs protection from the consequences of carrying out its human rights work too fearlessly.
Nigeria is better than this.
President Tinubu and those serving in his government will ultimately be judged by how they respond to the erosion—or protection—of civic space and the rule of law. The Tinubu administration must change course. It must uphold judicial independence, respect human rights and ensure that security and law-enforcement agencies operate strictly within the law.
Nigerian law should also provide effective protection against SLAPPs, allowing courts to dismiss abusive cases at an early stage and preventing legal proceedings from becoming instruments of intimidation.
Nigerian authorities must quash the unjust judgment against SERAP, withdraw unjustified charges against Sowore and other journalists and activists, and release anyone detained solely for peacefully exercising their rights.
President Tinubu should call the DSS to order and ensure that his government’s actions match its rhetoric on the rule of law. Nigeria cannot afford a situation in which peaceful dissent is treated as a security threat and the institutions meant to protect the state and its people become the instruments through which citizens are silenced and repressed.
As for the people, this is not the time to give up or stand by. Nigerians must continue to speak truth to power, defend their rights and insist that governments and politicians remain accountable.
As Lord Bingham of Cornhill observed: “A state which savagely represses or persecutes sections of its people cannot in my view be regarded as observing the rule of law.”
Kolawole Olaniyan is legal adviser at Amnesty International’s International Secretariat in London and the author of Ownership of Proceeds of Corruption in International Law.
The University of Port Harcourt branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike over the incomplete payment of salaries and responsibility allowances to its members.
The union also alleged that its members had been excluded from the monthly payment of responsibility allowances made to members of other unions for more than two years.
The ASUU branch secretary, Tarila Amakoromo, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Thursday.
Amakoromo said the decision followed the failure of the university management to address the union’s demands, despite a meeting with the administration and assurances that the issues would be resolved.
He recalled that at an emergency congress held on Friday, September 11, 2026, the union gave the university administration 48 working hours, ending at midnight on Tuesday, September 15, to resolve the issues or face an indefinite local strike backed by the union’s national body.
According to him, following the failure of the administration to meet the demands, the branch declared an indefinite strike at another emergency congress held on Wednesday, September 16.
The union’s demands include the completion of payment of its members’ salaries for June, July and August 2026, as well as the payment of outstanding responsibility allowances.
The statement also cited the non-payment of responsibility allowances to members under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), including lecturers in the School of Health Sciences.
The statement read in part: “A strike action has been declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Port Harcourt Branch following the University Administration’s failure to address the demands of the Union.”
The union said the action was intended to press for the resolution of the outstanding salary and allowance issues affecting its members.
