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The Socio-Economic and Accountability (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) projects have urged “Tinubu Ball President Government to immediately end the use of Cyber ​​Draconian crimes targeting journalists, activists, critics and other Nigeria who peacefully declare their views.
The groups said, “The use of cyber crime laws to lock people who peacefully express their views sending a terrible message to the Nigerian people that the right will not get priority under the Tinubu government.”
According to the group, “using laws that are not in accordance with the constitutional and guarantees and standard of international human rights – such as the Cyber ​​Crime Law – eroding democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.”
The statement joined a press conference on ‘Injustice that was not checked: how the authorities armed Cybercrimes Act to hamper differences of peace and media freedom in Nigeria’, which was held on Saturday in Ikeja. This event was held together by absorbing and nge to mark the day of world press freedom.
The groups also said, “Nigerian authority at all levels must show that they tolerate differences of peace and media freedom if the Nigerian people want to hold their accountability for their oath of office, commitment, and their constitutional promise.”
The statement was read in part: “We are worried that Nigerian authority continues to use cyberspace to normalize the oppression of the rights of journalists, bloggers, defenders of human rights, opposition politicians, artists and other Nigeria.
“The Nigerian authority at all levels of government must immediately stop using the Cyber ​​Crime Law and the regulations disguised as a broadcasting code by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to target, intimidate and harass journalists, bloggers, critics and media houses.
“Impunity for those who threaten, intimidate and harass journalists, bloggers, defenders of human rights and activists worsen the hostile environment for these defenders from human rights that are guaranteed constitutionally and internationally in Nigeria.
“We note that the oppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from detention that violates the law to those that violate the law, removal, prosecution and use of legal regulations and wrong law enforcement.
“Since the amendment to the Cyber ​​Crime Law in 2024, Nigeria’s authority at all levels consistently uses the provisions of Cyber ​​Crime Law including the provisions of the” Cyberstalking “to harass, intimidate, arbitrarily capture and hold social media users, activists, and unfair journalists.
“The Nigerian authority at all levels increasingly uses the law of defamation and other repressive laws to crack down on human rights and differences of peace, bring reckless laws on journalists, bloggers, defenders of human rights and activists.
“We are also worried about the persistence of threats to the safety of journalists, and the potential of the terrible effects of strategic lawsuits on public participation (Slapps) and harassment, including by security institutions and politicians.
“We note that journalists, bloggers, defenders of human rights and activists play an indispensable role in documenting and reporting human rights violations.
“The right to freedom of expression applies to all types of information and ideas, including those that may be surprising, offending or disturbing, and regardless of the truth or falsehood.
“Provisions on the provisions of cyberspace (prohibitions, prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Law 2024, including part 24 is not consistent with the provisions of Article 39 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution [as amended] and African Charter about human rights and people in which Nigeria is a state party. “
“However, while the National Assembly changed cyberspace (prohibitions, prevention, etc.) ACT, 2015 in 2024, part 24 of the Cyber ​​Crime Law (as changed) was still vaguely given words, arbitrarily and easily suitable for subjective interpretations and repressive use by Nigerian authority.”
“Because the provisions of the 24 section of Cybercrimes Act 2024 are widely defined to expose them to make misuse for unauthorized purposes, Nigerian authority continues to use this provision to take hard action and violate Nigerian human rights including activists, bloggers, journalists, and social media users.”
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“The Cyber ​​Crime Act, which was amended 2024, regardless of the broad provisions in part 24, still gives a vague meaning for ‘cyberstalking’ in section 58 as a ‘way of behavior, directed at certain people who will cause a reasonable person to feel afraid.'”
“The provisions of the 2024 Cyber ​​Crime Law, including part 24, contains several violations that are widely defined with hard sentences that threaten human rights and have a terrible effect on the freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Nigeria.”
“Stories published online have been considered ‘offensive’, ‘obstructive’, ‘insulting’ or ‘annoying’ with consequences that can be followed up under the provisions changed from section 24 of the Cyber ​​Crime Act 2024, even when the story is true and factual.”
“Also, the story published through traditional media outlets (print and electronics) that has never been approved by the government has been selected after being rearranged or re -published through an online platform.”
“Part 24 of the Cyber ​​Rechimes Act 2024 is a strong punishment effort to overcome problems relating to stalking and harassment, and the law fails to provide sufficient protection for abuse, especially for the implementation of freedom of expression and peaceful investigation journalism.”
“What is ‘causing legal disorders and order’ is also unclear, threatening to punish a peaceful and valid expression and open up provisions for harassment.”
“According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nigeria has lowered 10 spots to 122 in 2025 World Press Freedom Index.”
“According to the Freedom House 2023 and 2024 reports on Nigeria, freedom of internet expression has decreased due to unprecedented patterns of capture and the detention of bloggers after the enactment and amendment to the Cyber ​​Crime Law in 2024; most of those who were delayed at various police stations or legal courts.”
“According to the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (Cjosjak) Press Attack Tracker, there have been 110 verified attacks in 2024. Compared to the previous year, a press attack between the first and third quarters of 2024 has surpassed people throughout the year 2023.”
“Therefore we ask the President of the Tinubu Bola and his government to review the Cyber ​​Crime and other repressive laws for the potential restrictions on freedom of speech and press, and change them in accordance with constitutional and international human rights standards and to uphold human rights from every Nigerian and the media freedom.”
“We urged President Tinubu and his government to openly summon the Governor of Nigerian State, Nigerian Police, State Service Department (DSS) to uphold and ensure full respect for the rights of all people in the country, including journalists, bloggers, defenders of human rights and activists.”
“We ask the President of Tinubu and his government, 36 Governors of the State and Minister of Federal Capital Mother (FCT) to really uphold the freedom of the press, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, comply with the court’s decision, and respect the rule of law.”
“We urge the Attorney General to encourage direct amendments to the Cyber ​​Crime Law and other repressive laws, and bring this law in line with the Nigerian constitution and international human rights obligations in which Nigeria is a state party.”
“We urge the Attorney General to give advice to the President of the Tinubu Bola to immediately comply with all extraordinary court decisions, including the ecowas court decision that directs the federal government to revoke the repressive cyber crime law and bring it in accordance with the obligations and commitment of Nigerian international human rights.”
“We urge the National Assembly to immediately and comprehensively review the Cyber ​​Crime Law and other restrictions, and revise them as they should bring them in line with the obligations and commitment of Nigerian international human rights regarding human rights and media freedom.”
“We urge the State Governor to ensure that the Security Institution, the Nigerian Police and other authorities dropped all accusations on journalists, bloggers and other media workers and critics, and stop the closure of radio and television stations that were arbitrary further.”
“We urge the international community to ask Nigerian authority to take into account violations of human rights in the country, including by calling for authorities at the federal and state levels to immediately and unconditionally release anyone who is detained solely because it is peaceful using their human rights.”
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