Lagos: Femi Falana, a leading human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), called on journalists to make demanding justice in unresolved murder cases their top priority, underlining the media’s vital role in holding authorities accountable.
Falana made the call at an interactive session and press conference entitled: “The Role of Media in Promoting People’s Rights, Accountability and Access to Justice in the Context of Growing Insecurity in Nigeria”.
The event was organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Ikeja.
Falana’s central message was clear: journalists should demand justice for victims of unresolved extrajudicial killings, as the lack of accountability in these cases cannot be tolerated.
He insisted that the media keep unresolved murder cases in the spotlight and sustain investigation and public dialogue until justice is done.
Falana cited instances of killings in Lagos allegedly involving policemen, saying that some murder cases had not been revisited in spite of public outcry.
He listed cases deserving reopening to include the alleged murder of Master Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lagos, and the Offa bank robbery of 2018 in Kwara.
He also listed the murder of Kudurat Abiola, the wife of Chief MKO Abiola, among the cases, as well as the murder of six traders at Owode Onirin Market in Lagos State; the exact year of this incident needs confirmation, as it is currently stated as 2025, which may be a typographical error.
He said the media must follow up on cases of rights violations and reinforce its watchdog role.
He noted that the media must use the Freedom of Information Act more actively to seek data that can advance accountability and justice.
He urged media managers not to sacrifice professionalism for commercial gains through wraparound advertisements.
It can be noted that news wraparound (or wrap) is a high-impact advertising format in which a customised, printed sheet covers the front page and often the back page of a newspaper.
Falana said that such a practice undermined public trust.
He stressed that truth and objectivity must come before commercial interests for the media.
Falana emphasised that the media has a constitutional duty to hold the government accountable and defend citizens’ rights, urging an unwavering commitment to this responsibility.
He called on journalists to vigorously prioritise public-interest reporting and to staunchly resist all forms of pressure that might diminish their critical watchdog role.
He highlighted the importance of regional human rights mechanisms, saying that Nigerians could seek justice beyond national borders.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen institutions responsible for delivering justice and ensure that victims of rights violations receive justice in a timely manner.
Falana also called for greater collaboration between civil society organisations and the media to promote accountability and protect citizens’ rights.
He reiterated that combating human rights violations requires unwavering, collective action from all stakeholders, especially journalists, lawyers, and rights campaigners.