Nigerians Face Growing Repression Under Tinubu's Government

It is happening again. Under President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians are dealing with a harsher political and legal environment. Similar to the Muhammadu Buhari government, the Tinubu administration is ignoring Nigeria’s constitutional and international commitments to protect human rights and uphold the rule of law.

It is troubling when a security agency meant to protect citizens increasingly seeks to stop them from speaking, organizing, and criticizing those in power.

Nigeria has seen this before. But under Tinubu, human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and civil society groups are facing more threats, harassment, and intimidation. The criminal justice system is being misused by the State Security Service (SSS) to silence peaceful dissent and intimidate those who speak out.

Restrictions on civic space don’t always mean soldiers in the streets or newspapers being shut down. They can take less visible but serious forms: arbitrary arrests, unlawful surveillance, unfair prosecutions, baseless defamation lawsuits, and strategic lawsuits designed to punish dissent.

Recent cases involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Professor Pat Utomi, and activist Omoyele Sowore show a worrying trend. These cases highlight how the justice system is being used to suppress dissent under the Tinubu government.

SERAP started as a non-governmental organization in 2004. It has used advocacy and public-interest litigation to demand accountability from past and current administrations. SERAP has consistently challenged abuses of power and spoken out against injustice.

Even the Buhari administration, known for its poor human rights record, did not use judicial harassment against SERAP. They challenged the government, won some cases, and lost others but continued to criticize it openly. The current situation under Tinubu is even more concerning.

SERAP’s work speaks volumes. In 2022, SERAP and 176 Nigerians took on Buhari’s Twitter ban at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which ruled that it violated rights to free speech and media freedom. SERAP and the Nigerian Guild of Editors also won an interim injunction in 2026 against the National Broadcasting Commission, blocking several oppressive parts of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

SERAP has achieved other significant court victories. The ECOWAS Court awarded journalist Agba Jalingo ₦30 million for wrongful detention and bad treatment. The Federal High Court also required the government to disclose about $5 billion in recovered Abacha loot and ordered the publication of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) audit report.

These cases show SERAP's commitment to holding governments accountable through the courts.

The sad irony is that after over twenty years of defending human rights, SERAP is now facing harassment from the very state it has tried to hold accountable.

This irony is even clearer with Nuhu Ribadu, now Nigeria’s National Security Adviser. SERAP defended Ribadu when he faced corruption challenges. In 2008, when the Yar’Adua government removed him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, SERAP condemned it and even petitioned the United Nations against his removal.

After surviving assassination attempts, SERAP called for an investigation and protection for his life.

In 2009, Ribadu received the Civil Society Anti-Corruption Defender Award, which I helped establish to honor those fighting corruption.

Today, as National Security Adviser, Ribadu oversees the SSS, which uses the judicial system against SERAP and other critics. The same organization that once defended Ribadu is now targeting SERAP for its human rights work.

In September 2024, SERAP urged President Tinubu to investigate corruption claims against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The next day, SSS officers reportedly raided SERAP’s office in Abuja, demanding to see its directors. Two officials later sued SERAP for defamation over its public statements about the incident.

In May, the Federal Capital Territory High Court ordered SERAP to pay ₦100 million in damages and issue an apology. SERAP is appealing this judgment, claiming it has serious legal errors.

I have read the judgment against SERAP. In my view, calling it a travesty of justice would downplay the serious legal concerns it raises. This decision raises big questions about the rule of law and whether civil society can challenge state power without fear of retaliation.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and many Nigerian civil society organizations have also criticized the judgment. They argue it turns defamation law into a tool of intimidation that chills public interest advocacy.

The situation with Professor Pat Utomi is another troubling example. In 2025, the SSS went to court over Utomi’s idea for a “shadow government.” They asked the Federal High Court to declare it unconstitutional and stop him and his associates from pursuing it.

The SSS sought to limit public rallies, lectures, and media appearances linked to this initiative, claiming it threatened national security. The state has the right to investigate real threats to security. But “national security” should not be used to suppress the peaceful exercise of rights.

The case of Omoyele Sowore adds to this concern. The SSS filed a cybercrime lawsuit against him for social media posts where he called President Tinubu a “criminal.” A Federal High Court later decided he had a case to answer.

This raises an important question: if calling a president a “criminal” on social media leads to police action, where does legitimate political criticism end? Public officials should not expect protection from all harsh political opinions. The response to criticism should be evidence and accountability, not criminal charges.

There is a clear contradiction here. President Tinubu has often said he supports the rule of law and welcomes criticism. In his 2025 Democracy Day speech, he said: “No one should suffer for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names. Democracy requires some tolerance for harsh words and insults. Call me names, and I will still call on democracy to defend your right to do so.”

Those are strong words. But words must be backed by actions. It is hard to see how Tinubu’s stated commitment to free speech matches his apparent acceptance of the SSS's actions against critics.

If Tinubu truly believes Nigerians should freely criticize him, he cannot ignore the state’s actions that punish such speech. His silence on the SSS’s actions could be seen as approval of the abuse.

Amnesty International’s State of the World’s Human Rights: April 2026 reported arrests and detention of journalists and activists in Nigeria. It also noted police assaults on journalists and the use of tear gas against peaceful protesters. The report highlights serious concerns about the shrinking space for free speech and media freedom.

The National Assembly is also looking at bills that could further restrict civil society, foreign aid, and online expression.

This is how repression and authoritarian practices become normal.

The contradiction is particularly worrying because President Tinubu and many in his government experienced human rights violations under past administrations. They understand the role of activists and journalists in speaking out against power abuse.

Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it.

The government’s first job is to uphold the law. A society governed by law must not only allow but promote a safe environment for criticism and dissent. Governments can disagree with SERAP and defend themselves in court. That is how constitutional governance should work.

The lesson from Ribadu is crucial. SERAP once defended a public official who faced backlash for doing his job. Now, the organization needs protection for doing its human rights work.

Nigeria deserves better.

President Tinubu and his government will ultimately be judged by how they handle freedom and the rule of law. The Tinubu administration needs to change its approach. It must uphold the independence of the judiciary, respect human rights, and ensure security agencies follow the law.

Nigerian law should also protect against SLAPPs, allowing courts to dismiss abusive lawsuits early and stop legal actions from intimidating citizens.

Nigerian authorities must overturn the unjust ruling against SERAP, drop charges against Sowore and other journalists, and release anyone held for peacefully exercising their rights.

President Tinubu should call the SSS to order and make sure his government’s actions match its statements about the rule of law. Nigeria can’t afford for peaceful dissent to be seen as a security threat, and the agencies meant to protect citizens should not silence them.

For the people, now is not the time to give up. Nigerians must continue to speak out, defend their rights, and hold governments accountable.