Media Rights Agenda (MRA) yesterday condemned a recent statement by a group of individuals describing themselves as Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) urging the police and other security agencies to “checkmate” the activities of non-state actors allegedly blackmailing and extorting government officials using the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

Recall that the SNM, in a joint statement signed by Rev Solomon Semaka and Dr Richard Oduma, who identified themselves as the Task Force on Illegal CSOs co-conveners, called on the Inspector-General of Police and the intelligence services to strengthen their efforts and beam their searchlight on the activities of criminal syndicates which specialised in blackmailing and extorting unsuspecting government officials using the FoI Act.

Reacting to the statement, MRA’s Communications Officer, Mr. Idowu Adewale, described it as “a troubling attempt to undermine one of Nigeria’s most vital tools for ensuring transparency, accountability, and democratic governance by a group of faceless individuals who appear to be security operatives masquerading as civil society actors.”