Attempt to Cripple the Civic Space

Urban Alert is a civic-tech, non-governmental, nonprofit initiative of the Registered Trustees of Levite Foundation for Community Development. Urban Alert leverage technology to amplify people’s voices. We are keen on engaging governments and private corporations for swift action on policies and issues affecting the common man.

As the civic space continues to experience turbulence in Nigeria, we wish to inform the general public of the moves by some individuals to clamp down and intimidate our organization through blackmail and malicious publications in Osun State.

On Tuesday, 24th January 2023, a malicious publication was made by a blog named “City Mirror News” with the title; “Exposed: How Fake, Unregistered NGOs, CSOs Dominate Osun Political Space, Remain Tools For Politicians”. In this publication, Urban Alert was among the organizations maligned.

In the publication, City Mirror incited and instigated the regulatory body and security agencies against Urban Alert when it was clear that no true journalistic investigation was done as to our incorporation status.

Our legal team has since responded to City Mirror News Media Services, owner of the City Mirror News blog, demanding an immediate retraction of the publication among other demands, having taken them through our organizational structure and corporate incorporation. While we acknowledge the retraction of the publication and an apology letter (https://bit.ly/CMdef2) from the publisher, we are still considering other legal means to resolve this important issue deliberately sponsored to cripple our organization.

For more than two years, Urban Alert has mobilized citizens to hold the government accountable on critical issues like mining, environmental pollution, social injustice, infrastructural development and open governance. We have directly impacted over 31,000 people, built citizens’ capacity and engaged public institutions and private corporations in ensuring quality service delivery to the common man.

While we identify this attempt to blackmail Urban Alert and stain our relationship with partners and prospective funders because of the quality of work we do in Osun State and other states in Southwest Nigeria, we reiterate the importance of the role of the CSOs in putting the government on its toes and ensuring a democracy that works. Civil society organizations should not be seen as a threat to the government but as partners in social development.

We, therefore, call on residents of Osun State, development partners, the diplomatic community and interest groups to be aware of this clampdown, intimidation and moves to silence Urban Alert.