HURIWA Condemns Legal Action Against Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised recent legal actions instituted against the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, describing them as politically motivated attempts to tarnish his reputation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group dismissed the lawsuits as distractions allegedly aimed at weakening the minister’s rising political profile. HURIWA suggested that the actions may be linked to speculations about a possible governorship ambition in Ondo State—an intention Tunji-Ojo has yet to publicly declare.

The group was reacting to reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an activist permission to challenge the authenticity of the minister’s West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate, while declining a separate request concerning his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

According to HURIWA, the pattern of litigation appears to be a coordinated smear campaign presented as civic engagement. The association expressed concern that issues relating to academic credentials already verified by statutory bodies such as WAEC and NYSC are being subjected to fresh court scrutiny without credible evidence of wrongdoing.

HURIWA further questioned the necessity of seeking judicial intervention to verify a WAEC certificate, noting that such results can be easily confirmed through the official WAEC verification process.

The group observed that Justice Binta Nyako granted leave for an inquiry into the minister’s secondary school certificate, while Justice Joyce Abdulmalik rejected the broader NYSC-related request on the grounds that the applicant failed to demonstrate sufficient public interest. HURIWA argued that the latter ruling underscores what it described as the speculative nature of the legal challenge.

It maintained that academic records used for university admission and national service typically undergo multiple levels of institutional verification, making additional court-driven investigations unnecessary unless backed by concrete evidence of forgery or misconduct.

HURIWA also warned against what it described as a recurring political pattern in Nigeria, where litigation, petitions and media campaigns are allegedly used to discredit perceived political contenders ahead of election cycles.

The association expressed concern that despite the minister not declaring any intention to contest the Ondo State governorship election, certain political actors may be initiating pre-emptive attacks over perceived ambitions.

It cautioned that using the courts to pursue speculative disputes over credentials could undermine the integrity of the judiciary and politicise transparency mechanisms for partisan purposes.