At a joint press conference held in Lagos on Friday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all levels of government to end the use of the Cybercrimes Act to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, critics, and human rights defenders.
Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, accused Nigerian authorities of weaponising laws—particularly the Cybercrimes Act and the broadcasting codes issued by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)—to suppress freedom of expression and stifle dissent.
He described the situation as a growing crackdown on civil liberties, particularly the right to free speech and media freedom.
Oluwadare expressed concern over the continued use of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, even after its amendment in 2024, to target individuals simply for exercising their constitutional rights.
He cited an increase in extrajudicial arrests, malicious prosecutions, enforced disappearances, and the abuse of law enforcement powers, all aimed at journalists, activists, and even private citizens.
He shared that people have been arrested and charged over messages posted in alumni WhatsApp groups, calling such acts not only repressive but absurd and dangerous.
He further noted that the amended Cybercrimes Act fails to reflect the 2022 ECOWAS Court judgment, which declared Section 24 of the original 2015 law vague, arbitrary, and in violation of treaties such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to Oluwadare, the revised law still includes dangerously broad terms, particularly around cyberstalking, which allow authorities to prosecute individuals merely because someone claims to feel “fear” from a message.
Iyobosa Uwugiaren, General Secretary of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, echoed Oluwadare’s concerns.
He called for the immediate suspension of the Act’s implementation pending a comprehensive review that aligns with Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.
He urged the government to demonstrate its commitment to media freedom by ensuring that no journalist, blogger, or activist is harassed, arrested, or detained for performing their duties.
Uwugiaren revealed that the Guild has set up a committee comprising senior editors and media executives to identify laws that hinder media freedom in Nigeria.
The committee, he explained, would collaborate with the National Assembly to push for the necessary legislative reforms.
The press conference comes at a time of heightened concern over attacks on the press.
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported at least 110 verified cases of media repression in 2024 alone, surpassing figures recorded during previous crackdowns, including that of 2013.
These include the prolonged detention of reporters from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), violent attacks on journalists covering protests in Lagos and Abuja, and the forced closure of several media outlets in northern states.
In one instance, police officers reportedly fired tear gas at camera operators and reporters covering a protest in Lagos, resulting in injuries and damaged equipment.
Digital journalists have also come under fire, with Bernard Akede of News Central TV and several colleagues arrested while reporting on peaceful demonstrations.
In another case, unidentified machete-wielding assailants attacked a Channel TV-branded vehicle transporting journalists.
Oluwadare remarked that the recurring phrase “unidentified attackers” is used to obscure accountability, but the underlying message remains clear: critical journalism is under siege in Nigeria.
He also condemned the reported use of commercial spyware to monitor journalists and activists, citing cases where private phone conversations were leaked online despite not being recorded by either party involved.
SERAP and the NGE jointly appealed to the international community to take note of the situation in Nigeria and hold the government accountable for failing to uphold its international commitments.
They stressed the need for Nigeria to comply with ECOWAS and domestic court rulings, ensure the release of all individuals detained for peaceful speech, and conduct impartial investigations into the harassment of journalists and civil society actors.
They urged the federal government to reaffirm its obligations under international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Also speaking at the event, former Managing Director of The Guardian Newspapers, Martin Onoja, reflected on the growing threats facing investigative and data journalists in Nigeria.
He described how factual, data-driven, and public-spirited journalism has become a dangerous profession in the country. He said journalists often find themselves intervening in conflict situations simply for reporting the truth.
According to him, while billions are spent on infrastructure and medical tourism, the media and education sectors are being neglected or outrightly targeted for repression.
