The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to immediately stop using the Cybercrimes Act to suppress freedom of expression and detain journalists, activists, and critics for their online views.
The call came in a statement issued on World Press Freedom Day, emphasizing the rising concern over the misuse of the law to clamp down on peaceful dissent.
The group highlighted that the weaponisation of the Cybercrime Act threaten not only press freedom but also the broader civil liberties of Nigerians.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu must immediately end the use of the draconian Cybercrimes Act to target journalists, activists, critics and other Nigerians peacefully expressing their views online,” the group stated. “Those currently in custody under this legislation should be released without delay.”
SERAP argued that the continued use of the Cybercrimes Act in this manner is unconstitutional and violates international human rights standards.
“Using laws that don’t conform with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards – like the Cybercrimes Act , erodes democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria” the organization warned.
The group expressed deep concern over the effect such practices have on free speech. “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,” they said.
SERAP urged President Tinubu to demonstrate leadership by repealing or amending provisions of the Cybercrimes Act that infringe on free expression.