Politics
Nearly nine in 10 civic space violations in 2025 linked to state actor
NEARLY nine out of every 10 documented civic space violations in Nigeria in 2025 were linked to state actors, a new report by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has revealed.
The findings are contained in the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, titled ‘Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure,’ which reviewed the state of journalism and civic freedoms in Nigeria between January and December 2025.
According to the report, the Centre documented 245 incidents of civic space violations referenced in 570 media reports published by 54 media organisations across the country.
It found that state actors were responsible for 219 incidents, representing 89.4 per cent of all documented violations, while 26 incidents (10.6 per cent) involved non-state actors.
The report identified the Nigeria Police Force as the state institution linked to the highest number of incidents, highlighting the need for stronger accountability, rights-based policing and institutional reforms.
The report said the documented violations affected fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, access to information, peaceful assembly, freedom of association and broader civic participation, indicating that civic freedoms remained under sustained pressure throughout the year.
The Centre noted that the investigation also found a shift in the methods used to restrict civic space, with 100 incidents (40.8 per cent) involved physical violence, while 145 incidents (59.2 per cent) were carried out through non-violent means such as arrests, detention, summons, legal actions and regulatory sanctions.
According to the report, these administrative and legal measures increasingly restrict civic freedoms while attracting less public scrutiny than physical attacks.
The report identified freedom of expression as the most affected right, featuring in 172 incidents (70.2 per cent).
It noted that although journalists continued to face significant threats, one of its most notable findings was the sharp increase in violations affecting ordinary citizens, suggesting that restrictions are increasingly extending beyond the media to broader civic participation and democratic engagement.
It also noted that Abuja and Lagos recorded the highest number of reported incidents, reflecting their prominence as centres of governance, media activity and civic engagement.
However, the report cautioned that lower figures from other states should not be interpreted as evidence of a freer civic environment, noting that underreporting and limited documentation remain significant challenges.
The report recommended stronger safeguards for civic space through sustained media reporting, better documentation of violations, increased legal support for victims, strategic advocacy, and enhanced collaboration among the media, civil society organisations, professional bodies, and development partners.
It also urged government institutions and security agencies to improve accountability, review laws and enforcement practices that restrict fundamental freedoms, and ensure compliance with constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
