The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), one of Nigeria’s most prominent and fearless civil society and human rights organisations, has firmly and categorically rejected a court judgment delivered against it in a defamation suit — announcing with immediate effect its decision to appeal the ruling and continue its pursuit of accountability and transparency in Nigerian public life without fear or retreat.
In a strongly worded response to the judgment, SERAP described the court’s decision as deeply troubling and inconsistent with the fundamental principles of freedom of expression, press freedom, and the constitutional right of civil society organisations to hold public officials and institutions accountable through legitimate advocacy, public commentary, and rights-based engagement.
The organisation expressed serious concern that the judgment, if allowed to stand unchallenged, could set a dangerous and chilling precedent — one that emboldens powerful individuals and institutions to weaponise defamation suits as tools of intimidation and suppression against civil society voices, journalists, and activists who dare to speak truth to power in Nigeria.
SERAP made clear that it views the appeal not merely as a legal defence of its own institutional interests, but as a principled stand in defence of every Nigerian’s constitutional right to free expression and the broader democratic space that civil society organisations exist to protect and expand.
“We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. And we will not allow this judgment to stand without the fullest possible legal challenge,” SERAP declared in its response, signalling its determination to fight the ruling through every available legal avenue.
Legal observers and fellow civil society organisations have rallied behind SERAP, with many describing the organisation’s decision to appeal as not only legally sound but morally necessary — given the critical role SERAP has played over the years in exposing corruption, challenging government excesses, and advancing the cause of socio-economic justice for millions of vulnerable Nigerians.
The appeal is expected to be filed at the appropriate appellate court in due course, with SERAP’s legal team said to be already working intensively on the grounds of appeal.
CDA News Nigeria will continue to monitor and report on the outcome of this legally and politically significant case.
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