The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have urged President Bola Tinubu to remove the Cybercrimes Act.
The parties claimed that the law targets “journalists, activists, critics and other Nigerians peacefully expressing their views online, and release those in custody across the country under the legislation.”
The groups said, “The use of the Cybercrimes Act to lock up people peacefully expressing their views sends a chilling message to Nigerians that rights won’t get priority under the Tinubu administration,” noting that, “Using laws that don’t conform with constitutional and guarantees and international human rights standards – like the Cybercrimes Act – erodes democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.”
The statement followed the press conference on Unchecked Injustice: How Authorities Are Weaponising the Cybercrimes Act to Stifle Peaceful Dissent and Media Freedom in Nigeria held Saturday at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja.
The event was jointly organised by SERAP and NGE to mark the World Press Freedom Day. The press conference was attended by senior members of the media, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
The organisations also said, “Nigerian authorities at all levels should show that they tolerate peaceful dissent and media freedom if the Nigerian people are to have any chance of holding them accountable on their constitutional oath of office, commitments and promises.”
“We are concerned that Nigerian authorities have continued to use the Cybercrime Act to normalize repression of the rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, opposition politicians, artists and other Nigerians.
“We note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement,” they added.
Drawing examples, the parties alleged that since the amendment of the Cybercrimes Act in 2024, Nigerian authorities at all levels have consistently used the provisions of the law, including the provisions of section 24 on “cyberstalking” to harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest and detain and unfairly prosecute users of social media, activists, and journalists.
“Nigerian authorities at all levels increasingly use criminal defamation laws and other repressive laws to crack down on human rights and peaceful dissent, bringing frivolous lawsuits against journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and activists.
“We are also concerned about the persistence of threats to journalists’ safety, and the potential chilling effect of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and harassment, including by security agencies and politicians,” the groups added.
“We urge President Tinubu and his government to publicly call on Nigeria’s state governors, the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) to uphold and ensure full respect for the rights of everyone in the country, including journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and activists.
“We call on President Tinubu and his government, the country’s 36 governors and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister to genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law,” they noted.