The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have called for the suspension of the implementation of the Cybercrimes Act.
The two groups, which addressed a news conference in Lagos on Saturday to commemorate World Press Day, decried the sharp rise in attacks on press freedom and civil liberties in Nigeria.
They accused Nigerian authorities of weaponising the Cybercrimes Act and other regulatory tools to stifle dissent, criminalise journalism, and target critics of the government.
In his submission, the Deputy Director of SERAP, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, delivered a scathing critique of what he described as an “escalating crackdown” on freedom of expression.
He specifically cited Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, despite its 2024 amendment, as a legal bludgeon routinely used against journalists, bloggers, activists, and even ordinary citizens for expressing opinions online.
“We are deeply concerned about the growing use of legislation to silence dissent. The authorities continue to ploy Section 24 to target Nigerians for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights,” Oluwadare said.
He added that the pattern of abuse includes extrajudicial arrests, malicious prosecutions, enforced disappearances, and unlawful surveillance tactics increasingly used to intimidate both professional journalists and social media users.
“People have been arrested and charged simply for posts in WhatsApp alumni groups. This is no longer just repression—it’s absurd and dangerous,” he said.
Oluwadare explained that the 2024 amendment of the Cybercrimes Act fell short of aligning with a 2022 judgment by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which ruled Section 24 of the original law as vague, arbitrary, and in violation of international human rights treaties such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to him, the amended version retains ambiguous terms, especially under provisions relating to “cyberstalking”, creating room for arbitrary interpretation and misuse.
“You can be prosecuted merely because someone claims to feel ‘fear’ from your message. That’s not a standard for justice; it’s an open door to censorship and tyranny,” Oluwadare warned.
In his remarks, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, called for the immediate suspension of the enforcement of the law until its problematic provisions are repealed or revised in line with Nigeria’s obligations under international and domestic human rights law.
“We urge President Tinubu to ensure that no journalist, blogger, or activist is arrested, detained, or harassed simply for doing their job,” Uwugiaren said.
“The government must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the rule of law and press freedom,” he added.
Uwugiaren revealed that the Guild has set up a committee comprising senior editors and media executives to identify laws currently impeding journalistic freedom.
The aim, he stated id, is to develop a robust reform agenda to be presented to the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has reported that 110 verified attacks were on media professionals so far in 2024, surpassing figures from previous years, including the widely criticised media clampdown of 2013 in Nigeria.
GIK/APA