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ECOWAS Court Gives Judgment on Press Council Inconsistency with Human Rights Law
ECOWAS Court Gives Judgment on Press Council Inconsistency with Human Rights Law
By: Michael Mike
The ECOWAS Court of Justice has delivered its judgment in a case brought by two Nigerian journalists alleging the Nigerian Press Council Act of 1992 was discriminatory and violated their right to freedom of expression.
In its judgment delivered by Hon Justice Dupe Atoki, Judge Rapporteur, the Court declared that Sections 19 (1)(a), 27 and 37 of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act failed to recognize public interest media including rights of online and citizen journalists thereby violating Article 9 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and Article 8 (1) and 10 (2) of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa.
The Court therefore ordered the government of Nigeria to amend these contested Sections to align with international practices that promote free, pluralistic and professional journalism. It however dismissed other claims which were not substantiated.
The case with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/31/21 was filed on 14 June 2021 by lawyers representing the Applicants – Mr Isaac Olamikan and Mrs Edoghogho Ugberease – online and citizen journalists who practise journalism for the promotion of freedom of expression, opinion, and access to information.
In the application, they claimed that Sections 19(1)a, 27 and 37 of the Nigeria Press Council Act of 1992 requiring journalists to be at least 18 years and accredited by the NPC, 25 years to be an editor with working experience in reputable media organization or news agency and registered with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, discriminated against them.
The Applicants’ lawyers led by Mr President Aigbokhan argued that these Sections failed to recognise public interest media such as the rights of online and citizen journalists and were therefore discriminatory and violated their right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Articles 2 and 9(1) of the ACHPR, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), Articles 2, 10 and 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 8 (1) and 10 (2) of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa; and breached the State’s obligation under the ECOWAS Treaty among other cited texts.
“For example, Section 37 of the Press Council Act, puts the minimum age to practice journalism as 18 years of age, while to be qualified as an editor, requires a minimum of 25 years of age. Sections 19(a) and 27 of the Act imposes educational qualifications and compulsory courses of attendance and training before a person can be recognized and allowed to practice as a journalist,” the judgment stated.
They also submitted that they were arrested separately at different locations while investigating and gathering information for their work, and that their arrest and detention were unlawful and violated their rights.
The Applicants asked the Court to order the Respondent to amend the contested Sections of the NPC Act to align with international practice and pay 1,000,000 (one million) USD as damages.
On their part, the Respondent’s lawyers Mrs Maimuna Lami Shiru and Mrs B.J. Oladipo told the Court that ‘journalism is a sensitive profession requiring mastery as well as regulation to prevent negative effect, adding that rights to information and freedom of expression are not absolute.’
The Respondent denied arresting and detaining the Applicants unlawfully, stating that the first Applicant was arrested because his action had national security implications while the second Applicant operated illegally.
They added that, in the same way as other professional bodies, there were criteria for registration and membership as journalists, and urged the Court to dismiss the case describing it as frivolous, baseless and an abuse of court process.
In its analysis, the Court determined if the matter was within its mandate, if it was admissible and if the Sections of the NPC Act were discriminatory and violated the right to freedom of expression of the Applicants. Relying on its rules of procedure and jurisprudence, the Court held the matter was within its jurisdiction and the case was admissible.
On the alleged violation of Article 2 of ACHPR the Court noted that the Applicants did not substantiate on how they were treated differently in an identical or similar situation. Consequently, it held that their rights to freedom from discrimination under Article 2 of ACHPR has not been violated.
While on the alleged violation of Article 9 (freedom of expression), the Court noted that Section 19(1) and Section 27 of the Press Act imposing minimum educational requirement, age limit and registration, were restrictive and interfered with the right to freedom of expression, and therefore violated Article 9 (2).
In reaching its decision, the Court also noted the impact of technology in the evolving media space with the advent of citizen journalists, influencers and content creators who share news, commentary, and analysis on social issues. Though not qualified in traditional sense, they contributed to shaping public opinion.
It drew inspiration from young activists notably Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg who in their teens integrated online media in their advocacy and have attained world recognition through a free and unrestricted opportunity to gather information and express opinion.
Regarding the Applicants’ claim of unlawful arrest and detention, the Court noted that the Applicants did not prove their arrest was unlawful. Consequently, the Court dismissed their claims of unlawful arrest and request for compensation.
Both parties were ordered to bear their costs of litigation.
Also on the bench were Hon Justices Edward Amoako Asante (presiding) and Sengu M. Koroma (Member).
ECOWAS Court Gives Judgment on Press Council Inconsistency with Human Rights Law
NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations
By: Michael Mike
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed off a rice processing facility in Kano State, Fortune Rice Mills Limited, over alleged violations of environmental regulations relating to air pollution and offensive emissions.
The enforcement action, carried out on Monday, was led by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Dr. Mudashiru Raheem, following investigations into public complaints against the company.
According to NESREA, residents had raised concerns over persistent dust emissions and offensive odour emanating from the facility despite earlier compliance notices issued to the company.
The agency said investigations established that the rice mill violated provisions of the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations 2014 as well as the National Environmental (Food, Beverages and Tobacco Sector) Regulations 2023, prompting the sealing of the plant.
Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Innocent Barikor, who authorised the shutdown, condemned what he described as the “reckless attitude” of some industrial facilities towards public health and environmental safety.
Barikor stressed that economic interests must not come at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing and environmental sustainability, warning that the agency would continue to enforce compliance with environmental laws across the country.
“The health of citizens and the environment must not be sacrificed on the altar of economic gain,” he said.
He also called on Nigerians to take greater responsibility for environmental protection by reporting environmental infractions and pollution incidents to the agency for prompt action.
The latest enforcement underscores renewed regulatory scrutiny on industrial operators amid growing concerns over environmental pollution and public health risks in several parts of the country.
NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations
Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected gunrunner in Taraba State over the alleged sale of 23 AK-47 rifles to a rogue vigilante leader.
Security sources said the suspect was apprehended at about 3:30 a.m. on May 17, 2026, during a joint intelligence-led operation conducted by troops of the 20 Model Battalion and operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency.
According to the sources, the operatives raided the suspect’s residence at Sabon Gida village in Gassol Local Government Area of the state following actionable intelligence.
The sources disclosed that preliminary findings linked the suspect to the supply of 23 AK-47 rifles to a suspected rogue vigilante commander operating within the area.
The suspect has since been taken into custody by the Defence Intelligence Agency for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Security authorities said efforts were ongoing to uncover the wider arms trafficking network connected to the suspect.
Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles
The High Cost of Silence: Why President Tinubu Must Sign the Federal Audit Service Bill
By Paul Dasimeokuma
Nigeria currently manages a staggering ₦68.32 trillion budget through an audit framework that is effectively a colonial relic.
The Audit Ordinance of 1956, which remains the primary reference for federal audit reports, technically ceased to be part of Nigerian law in 1990 and is conspicuously absent from the 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).
This creates a legal lacuna, a dangerous, silent void where the nation’s financial watchdog is forced to bark using the authority of an obsolete law that has no place in a modern republic. As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu navigates the Renewed Hope agenda, the Federal Audit Service Bill, already passed by the National Assembly, represents a low-hanging fruit for structural reform that can no longer be ignored.
The current auditing function in Nigeria has devolved into a frustrating exercise in report writing without consequence. Under the present system, the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) produces an annual report, which is then sent to the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the National Assembly.
The PACs conduct hearings, invite heads of agencies, and eventually produce their own recommendations. Yet, despite this high-level activity, the cycle of financial felonies and misdemeanors continues unabated.
Evidence shows that audit recommendations are treated with levity by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and follow-ups are virtually non-existent despite clear Financial Regulations.
The result is a culture of impunity where the same infractions: unvouched expenditures, missing assets, and unremitted revenues—appear in reports decade after decade.
This Bill is the structural answer to this stagnation. It seeks to move Nigeria from a limited, department-based audit model to a modern Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) structure, consistent with global best practices. By transforming the office into a Service, the Bill ensures that auditing is a core pillar of national economic security.
The Bill provides for the establishment of an autonomous Federal Audit Service and a Federal Audit Board. This Board will fundamentally strengthen the independence of the AuGF, particularly concerning recruitment, promotion, and discipline.
Currently, the AuGF relies on the Federal Civil Service Commission for staffing, which often leads to a mismatch in specialised skills. An independent Board ensures the office is shielded from political interference and staffed by professionals answering only to the standards of their craft.
For the first time, the Bill explicitly empowers the AuGF with the power of the purse and the power of sanction. It authorises the AuGF to surcharge public officers for expenditures not duly brought into account and, more importantly, to withhold the emoluments of any person who refuses to reply to audit queries within 30 days. This closes the long-standing accountability gap where audit findings were merely advisory.
In the past, an MDA could simply ignore a query with no personal consequence. Under the new Bill, silence carries a direct financial penalty, providing the legal teeth necessary to compel compliance with financial discipline.
Beyond internal accountability, the Bill is a crucial signal to the international community.
Nigeria was successfully removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025, a hard-won victory for the nation’s financial reputation. However, this victory must be protected. The FATF framework explicitly monitors audit oversight of public funds as part of its financial integrity assessments. Maintaining a 70-year-old framework that technically does not exist in our current laws risks signaling to global monitors that Nigeria’s anti-corruption reforms are superficial.
Similarly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its June 2025 Article IV Consultation, called for strong expenditure management and transparent reporting. Assenting to this Bill is an act of economic diplomacy. It tells the World Bank and foreign investors that Nigeria is serious about the transparent implementation of its record-breaking budget.
It aligns the country with the Lima Declaration, which mandates that Supreme Audit Institutions must have the functional independence necessary to perform duties without executive overreach.
The reform window is rapidly closing. With the 2027 election cycle approaching, administrative bandwidth for such structural changes will contract. Transitioning from the 1956 framework and constituting the Federal Audit Board requires significant lead time.
Assent in 2026 gives this implementation a fighting chance to take root. President Tinubu has frequently spoken about the need for courage in governance. Signing the Federal Audit Service Bill is an act of such courage. Nigeria cannot build a 21st-century economy on 1950s paperwork. The time for the Audit Act is now.
Paul Dasimeokuma – Centre for Social Justice
The High Cost of Silence: Why President Tinubu Must Sign the Federal Audit Service Bill
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NESREA Shuts Kano Rice Plant Over Environmental Violations
Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner in Taraba Over Alleged Sale of 23 Rifles
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