A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed April 29, 2026, for the hearing of a suit filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) over the alleged failure of the Federal Government to implement concrete measures to ensure the safety of journalists in accordance with Principle 20 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.
When the case, which is currently before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu, came up on February 26, 2026, for mention, MRA was represented by its counsel, Mr Monday Arunsi, while the AGF was neither present in Court nor represented by counsel. Consequently, the Court directed that a Hearing Notice be issued and properly served on the AGF to notify him of the next adjourned date when the matter is expected to proceed.
Upon announcing his appearance, Mr Arunsi informed the Court that the matter was slated for mention and respectfully prayed the Court to fix a date for the hearing of the substantive suit. The Court consequently adjourned the matter to April 29, 2026, for hearing.
The suit, originally filed by MRA on July 27, 2021, through its legal counsel, Ms Obioma Okonkwo, seeks to enforce Principle 20 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, which imposes a clear obligation on State Parties to protect journalists and other media practitioners, investigate and prosecute attacks against them, and promote a safe and enabling environment for the practice of journalism.
In the suit, MRA argued that the Nigerian government has failed to comply with these obligations by not adopting adequate legal, institutional, and practical measures to safeguard journalists or to investigate and sanction perpetrators of attacks against media professionals. According to the organisation, this continuing failure undermines press freedom and constitutes a breach of Nigeria’s commitments under both the Declaration and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information.
The organisation also maintains that the absence of a comprehensive national framework for the protection of journalists has contributed to a climate in which harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and violent attacks against media practitioners frequently occur without accountability.
The case has experienced multiple adjournments since it was first scheduled for hearing on October 19, 2022. Several of the postponements were occasioned by the absence of representatives of the AGF, public holidays, judicial vacations, or instances when the Court did not sit.
For instance, the hearing was initially adjourned to April 3, 2023, but could not proceed due to the Easter vacation. It was later rescheduled for June 29, 2023, but was again stalled due to the Eid-al-Kabir holiday. The matter was subsequently fixed for November 3, 2023, but the Court did not sit on that date, resulting in another adjournment to February 23, 2024.
In addition to these delays, the case has also experienced administrative reassignments within the Federal High Court. The matter was initially presided over by Justice Peter Odo Lifu, who was later transferred, leading to its reassignment to Justice Nnamdi O. Dimgba. Following the elevation of Justice Dimgba to the Court of Appeal, the case was transferred to Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu, before whom it is currently pending.
At an earlier sitting on May 29, 2025, proceedings could not go on due to the absence of legal representation from the office of the AGF and the lack of formal proof of service of the amended Originating Summons. On that occasion, Mr Arunsi informed the Court that the AGF had previously been aware of the matter and had been represented in earlier proceedings. The Court, however, maintained that it could not proceed without evidence of proper service on the AGF.
In response, Mr Arunsi undertook to effect fresh service of the amended originating processes and applied for a short adjournment to enable compliance with the Court’s directive. The Court granted the application and adjourned the matter accordingly.
The case is now expected to proceed on April 29, 2026, when the Court will hear the substantive issues raised in the suit regarding the obligations of the Federal Government to ensure the safety and protection of journalists in Nigeria.
