Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on journalists and media organisations to intensify advocacy for the reopening of unresolved murder cases across the country.
Falana made the appeal during an interactive session and press conference titled “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, Lagos.
Addressing participants, Falana stressed the need for the media to leverage its platforms to demand justice for victims of extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses. He noted that several high-profile cases have been abandoned without accountability, warning that the media must not allow such matters to fade from public attention.
He cited multiple cases that, according to him, deserve renewed investigation, including the alleged killing of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lagos, the 2018 Offa bank robbery in Kwara State, and the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
Falana also referenced the killing of six traders at Owode Onirin Market in Lagos State in August 2025, describing it as another case requiring urgent attention and accountability.
The senior lawyer urged journalists to consistently follow up on cases of rights violations until justice is achieved, emphasizing the media’s watchdog role in a democratic society.
He further criticised what he described as the underutilisation of the Freedom of Information Act by media practitioners, noting that the law provides a critical tool for accessing information that can drive accountability, justice, and good governance.
Falana also cautioned media organisations against compromising professionalism for commercial interests, particularly through the use of wraparound advertisements that cover newspaper front pages.
“The media must not sacrifice truth and objectivity on the altar of commercial gains,” he said, warning that such practices could erode public trust.
He reiterated that the media has a constitutional responsibility to hold government accountable and to defend the rights of citizens, especially in the face of rising insecurity across the country.
