By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The WikkiTimes, an Online media publication, in collaboration with WikkiTimes Media Foundation has announced the launch of The WikkiTimes Femi Falana Legal Defenders Fellowship.
The Fellowship is a year-long pilot
programme designed to strengthen legal defence for Journalists and civic actors facing growing
legal intimidation in Nigeria.
According to WikkiTimes Operations Manager, Nana Mohammed, “The country is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous and difficult in West Africa for media professionals due to regular monitoring, arbitrary arrests, physical attacks, and a
prevailing culture of impunity for crimes committed against them.”
According to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, at least 25 Journalists were killed with confirmed motives in Nigeria in 2025, 34 were imprisoned, and about 20 journalists were held hostage, and many more were detained globally.
Also, Center for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID, reported through its Press Attack
that 72 journalists were attacked in 2025.
Nana Mohammed added that, “Reports from RSF and CPJ indicate 2025 was a deadly year for journalists worldwide, with
Nigeria facing persistent dangers, including violence, harassment, and impunity for attacks, even as new legal protections were discussed.”
“These reports show a continued dangerous environment for Nigerian Journalists. At the same time, Nigeria produces thousands of young lawyers every year, many of whom are eager to serve the public interest but lack practical training and mentorship in media law, digital rights, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs),” She added.
She further stated that,”This gap leaves Journalists vulnerable and deprives young Lawyers of meaningful pathways into public interest legal practice.”
According to her, “The Femi Falana WikkiTimes Legal Defenders Fellowship is designed to close this gap. The fellowship will train, mentor, and place twenty-five early-career Nigerian lawyers in law firms, chambers, and legal aid organisations where they will support journalists and civic
actors facing legal threats.”
She added that,”Through intensive training, supervised practice, and the development of shared legal defence tools, the program aims to strengthen Nigeria’s media defence ecosystem from within the
legal profession.”
“The fellowship is named after Femi Falana, SAN, in recognition of his decades-long commitment to public-interest litigation, human rights, and the defence of press freedom in Nigeria.”
According to Haruna Mohammed Salisu, founder of the fellowship initiative, the decision to name the program after Falana reflects his consistent courage in challenging the misuse of the law to silence dissent and his role in mentoring generations of rights-focused
lawyers.
He explained that, “The fellowship draws inspiration from this legacy while operating independently and in line with professional and ethical standards.”
He stressed that, “To work with Journalists and media organizations in the country where Journalists and public-interest actors are increasingly targeted with defamation suits, cybercrime charges, and other legal actions intended not to secure justice
but to exhaust resources, delay investigations, and discourage accountability reporting.”
“These practices–often described as “the process as punishment”—pose serious threats to press
freedom and civic accountability, particularly for independent and regional newsrooms with
limited access to specialised legal support,” he added.
Haruna Mohammed stressed that, “The programme will run for an initial 12-month pilot phase, during which fellows will receive
specialised training in media law, constitutional rights, digital rights, and the application of the Cybercrimes Act to journalism.”
He disclosed that Fellows will also contribute to building a shared legal defence repository and a practical
SLAPP Defence Cheat Sheet for Nigerian lawyers, resources that will remain publicly accessible beyond the fellowship year.
He assured that, “In the coming days, WikkiTimes will officially issue a call for applications, inviting qualified early-career lawyers committed to defending media freedom and civic accountability to apply for the fellowship.”
The Femi Falana WikkiTimes Legal Defenders Fellowship represents a strategic investment in people,
institutions, and shared knowledge—ensuring that journalists are not silenced by legal intimidation and that the law continues to serve justice rather than suppression.
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