Wikkitimes, a Nigerian online investigative newspaper, has launched a Femi Falana Legal Defenders’ Fellowship to empower 25 early career legal practitioners on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
The fellowship, named after the prominent human right lawyer and senior advocate Mr. Femi Falana, is a year-long programme for young lawyers aiming to strengthen legal defence for journalists and civic actors who are facing unjustifiable litigation and detention across the country.
The programme aims to foster Nigeria’s media defence ecosystem within the legal profession through intensive training, supervised practice, and the development of shared legal defence tools.
The announcement was made in the statement signed by Wikkitimes’ Operational Manager, Nana Mohammed, and available to the public via its website.
It stated that Nigeria produced thousands of young lawyers yearly, many of whom it said were eager to serve the public interest but lacked practical training and mentorship in media law, digital rights, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) which leaves journalists vulnerable and deprives young lawyers of meaningful pathways into public-interest legal practice.
The newspaper said, Nigeria 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.
It quoted the Committee for the Protection of Journalists as saying that at least 25 journalists were killed with confirmed motives in Nigeria in 2025, adding that 34 were imprisoned, and about 20 journalists were held hostage, with many more detained globally.
“Center for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID reported through it Press Attack that 72 journalists were attacked in 2025. 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,” part of the statement read.
Haruna Mohammed Salisu, founder of the fellowship initiative, said the decision to name the programme after Falana reflected his consistent courage in challenging the misuse of the law to silence dissent and his role in mentoring generations of rights-focused lawyers.
“The fellowship draws inspiration from this legacy while operating independently and in line with professional and ethical standards. To work with journalists and media organisations 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.
“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.
” 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. 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 platform explained the fellowship focus on lawyers in law firms, chambers, and legal aid organisations.