SERAP and the Nigeria Guild of Editors have asked President Bola Tinubu to take another look at the Cybercrime Act and assessment of these laws for potential restrictions on free speech. They pointed out the importance of carefully reviewing these rules to see how they might affect free speech and press freedom in Nigeria.
This appeal was made during a joint press conference held on Saturday in Ikeja, where Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, General Secretary of NGE, and Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, addressed the media.
The theme of the conference was ‘Unchecked Injustice: How Authorities are Weaponising the Cybercrime Act to Stifle Peaceful Dissent and Media Freedom in Nigeria.’
SERAP and NGE have urged the government to amend the Cybercrime Act to ensure it complies with constitutional and international human rights standards. They highlighted the urgent necessity of protecting media freedom.
The organizations called on the government to guarantee that state governors, the Nigeria Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) respect the rights of all Nigerians, including journalists and activists. In a joint statement, Uwugiaren appealed to President Tinubu, state governors, and the FCT minister to champion press freedom, promote access to information, and uphold the rule of law.
In his remarks, SERAP Oluwadare spoke out against using the Cybercrimes Act to put peaceful protesters in jail. He said this sends a really bad message about what the government cares about. He pointed out that laws like the Cybercrimes Act go against our constitution and international standards, which makes democracy and the rule of law weaker in Nigeria.
Oluwadare pointed out the Freedom House Reports for 2023 and 2024, which showed a decrease in internet freedom, especially after the arrest of many bloggers due to changes in the Cybercrimes Act. He noted that many of those arrested are still stuck in police stations or courtrooms. Plus, Oluwadare shared information from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), which reported 110 confirmed attacks on journalists in 2024.
He noted that many individuals who have been arrested remain in custody at police stations or courts.
Oluwadare cited data from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), which reported 110 confirmed assaults on the press in 2024. He highlighted that the number of attacks on journalists from the first to the third quarter of 2024 has already surpassed the total for all of 2023.
Mr. Martins Oloja, the former Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, also spoke at the conference, referencing cases of journalists currently in detention and how these incidents were reported by The Guardian. Oloja highlighted the statistics from Media Rights Agenda, revealing that 45 journalists encountered attacks in 2024. He stressed the role of journalists serve in monitoring governance and reaffirmed that the media is constitutionally empowered to scrutinize government actions.
(NAN)
