In a landmark step for press freedom, WikkiTimes, Nigeria’s investigative newsroom, has become the first Nigerian media organisation to join Reporters Shield, a global network protecting journalists and publishers from legal harassment and censorship.
Reporters Shield, founded by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and The Vance Center For International Justice, provides legal protection to investigative media outlets targeted by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs are lawsuits designed to intimidate or silence civic actors and watchdog journalism.
In a landmark step for press freedom, WikkiTimes, Nigeria’s investigative newsroom, has become the first Nigerian media organisation to join Reporters Shield, a global network protecting journalists and publishers from legal harassment and censorship.
Reporters Shield, founded by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and The Vance Center For International Justice, provides legal protection to investigative media outlets targeted by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs are lawsuits designed to intimidate or silence civic actors and watchdog journalism.
With this new membership, WikkiTimes gains access to over N150 million in annual legal defense coverage, expert legal counsel through the Vance Centre for International Justice in New York, and a structured three-tiered protection strategy of prevention, response, and defense — a rare shield for newsrooms operating under intense pressure.
“We’re delighted to have WikkiTimes on board as our first member in Nigeria,” said Amani Hammami, the Reporters Shield Membership Coordinator for Africa. “This partnership reinforces the newsroom’s ability to hold power to account while staying protected against unjust legal retaliation.”
Fighting back against intimidation
Since its founding, WikkiTimes has faced repeated attempts to muzzle its reporting. Publisher Haruna Mohammed Salisu has been arrested, sued, and even faced a bench warrant for his investigative works.
Now, as part of the Reporters’ Shield network, the newsroom joins a select group of independent publishers worldwide who are legally fortified to continue exposing corruption and abuse without fear of financial ruin.
“It’s a game-changer; an opportunity for a fight to finish,” said Haruna Mohammed Salisu. “For any aggressor thinking that they will strangulate us to death, they need to have a rethink; we are not dying anytime soon. We will be around for a while to ensure they do not sleep,” Haruna added.
WikkiTimes, an independent investigative platform, has suffered several SLAPP cases since its inception. It has faced nine lawsuits and other legal harassments linked to its investigative reporting.
In February 2023, the publisher was arrested while covering elections, accused of “incitement”, and had his phone seized. His phone was confiscated, and despite a court order directing the Bauchi Police to return his equipment, the devices remain in their possession.
In August 2024, a bench warrant was issued for Haruna and another WikkiTimes reporter, Yawale Adamu, after they missed a hearing in a defamation suit by lawmaker Mansur Manu Soro.
WikkiTimes’ onboarding marks a milestone for Nigeria’s independent media landscape — a region where journalists frequently face criminal defamation charges, online harassment, and arbitrary arrests. Joining Reporters Shield enables WikkiTimes not only to secure legal defense but strengthen its muscles to hold power accountable.
