The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has strongly condemned the invitation issued by the Imo State Police Command to Barrister Chinedu Agu, a former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri Branch, describing it as an attempt to criminalise free speech and silence dissent.
The police summons reportedly followed a petition by the Imo State Ministry of Information, accusing Barr. Aguwas was charged with “criminal defamation” and “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace” over his public criticisms of governance in the state.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, described the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
“Barr. Agu’s only ‘offence’ appears to be his consistent, lawful, and constructive criticism of governance in Imo State, particularly on issues relating to constitutional compliance and the administration of justice,” Nwanguma said.
He emphasised that such criticisms fall within the scope of freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Nwanguma further stressed that defamation, even if established, is a civil matter—not a criminal offence—and warned against the misuse of law enforcement agencies to stifle dissent.
“The police must not be weaponised as instruments of harassment or intimidation in what is essentially a civil dispute,” he said.
According to RULAAC, Nigerian courts have consistently affirmed that defamation is a personal tort and should be addressed through civil litigation rather than criminal prosecution.
The organisation issued a three-point demand: An immediate withdrawal of the police invitation and any criminal proceedings against Barr. A call on the Imo State Government and its officials to refrain from persecuting citizens who hold them accountable, and an appeal to Governor Hope Uzodinma and his administration to engage with criticism in good faith and commit to democratic governance and transparency.
“In a democracy, criticism is not a crime. Freedom of expression includes the right to voice opinions that those in power may find uncomfortable or inconvenient,” RULAAC stated.
The group also cautioned that attempts to suppress dissent in Imo State would not go unnoticed.
“The world is watching. Imo citizens, Nigerians, and the broader international community will not ignore any attempt to drag the state back to an era of repression and impunity,” the statement concluded.
RULAAC reiterated that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy, warning that criminalising it threatens the foundations of lawful governance.
