In continuous advocacy for democratic freedoms, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism represented by Mariam Alo and Nurudeen Salako WSCIJ Programme Officers, WSCIJ, featured live on Champion 90.7 FM on Monday, 3 August 2026, anchoring a compelling discussion on the state of the nation’s civic space.
Hosted by Mariam Oke, broadcast journalist, Champion FM, the interview served as a strategic platform to unpack the findings of the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, titled Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure.
During the broadcast, Nurudeen walked listeners through the methodology behind the report, which systematically tracked 245 verified civic space infractions across 570 media reports published by 54 media organisations between January and December 2025. He noted that law enforcement agencies were responsible for 89.4% of documented violations, with the Nigeria Police Force leading at 54.0%.
Mariam highlighted a critical shift in suppression methods, while physical violence, frequently marked by the deployment of tear gas, accounted for 40.8% of cases, the majority at 59.2% involved non-violent administrative, legal, and institutional measures such as arbitrary arrests, detentions, and regulatory sanctions.
Furthermore, the discussion drew attention to how civic repression has expanded well beyond newsrooms, with ordinary citizens affected in 54.3% of documented incidents, and freedom of expression remaining the most heavily infringed right at 70.2%. Drawing comparative insights from previous editions, including the 2012–2022 baseline, the 2023 election-year pressures, and the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests, the team signposted potential dangers for civic engagement as the 2027 election campaigns draw near. Emphasis was placed on Abuja (FCT), which has seen a steady geographical surge in violations, rising to 26.3% of incidents in 2025.
Closing out the session, the representatives reinforced WSCIJ’s two-decade commitment to social justice through the Civic Space Guard project, spotlighting ongoing institutional programmes like media monitoring, holistic safety training, and psychosocial support for journalists. They also emphasised the core values of WSCIJ, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence, as they relate to democracy, placing special emphasis on integrity as a bedrock for public trust.
The engagement concluded with a strong call for collaboration among the legislature, security agencies, civil society, and the media to foster rights-compliant protocols, while urging listeners and stakeholders to download and read the full report
Download the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, titled Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure.
