Rights Group warns against shrinking civic space over Ndibe airport questioning

By Steve Oko, Umuahia

The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has raised concerns over what it described as the shrinking civic space in Nigeria following the reported questioning of writer, Okey Ndibe, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The group said the incident has renewed concerns about freedom of expression and the treatment of government critics.

In a statement titled “When Criticism Becomes a Crime: The Dangerous Shrinking of Civic Space in Nigeria,” the group’s Executive Director, Okoye Chuka Peter, warned against any perception that dissent is being treated as a security threat.

He said that although authorities reportedly described the encounter as routine, repeated scrutiny of journalists, activists, writers and opposition voices could weaken public trust in democratic institutions.

Okoye cited Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and association, as well as international instruments such as the ICCPR and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“Criticism is not sabotage. Dissent is not treason. Opposition is not criminality,” he said.

He stressed that democracy thrives when citizens are free to express opinions and hold leaders accountable without fear of intimidation.

Okoye urged government institutions to reassure Nigerians that individuals would not be targeted for peacefully criticising public policies or officials.

“The true measure of a democracy is not how it treats its supporters, but how it treats its critics,” he added.

The group called on authorities to uphold constitutional rights and protect civic space, insisting that Nigeria’s democratic future depends on safeguarding free speech and public participation.

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