Fresh concerns have emerged over the operation of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) legislation, particularly Section 24, amid allegations that the law continues to be invoked against journalists, activists and other citizens over online publications.
A detailed Weekend Trust examination published Saturday noted that although Section 24 was amended in 2024, lawyers and media-rights advocates maintain that some of its language remains capable of broad interpretation. The amended provision focuses, among other things, on knowingly false electronic communications intended to cause a breakdown of law and order or pose a threat to life.
The report recalled that the ECOWAS Court had previously criticised the old Section 24 and ordered Nigeria to bring it into conformity with its human-rights obligations. The subsequent amendment removed some of the earlier language dealing with annoyance, insult and ill will, but stakeholders now argue that terms such as “breakdown of law and order” may still leave considerable discretion to investigators and prosecutors.
Media Rights Agenda, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and several lawyers cited in the report called for further legislative review and stronger safeguards against arbitrary enforcement. Police, on the other hand, maintained that law-enforcement agencies are applying legislation enacted by the National Assembly and argued that greater public education about cyber offences is necessary.
The deeper legal issue is no longer whether Nigeria requires cybercrime legislation — it plainly does — but whether enforcement can effectively combat fraud, threats and digital abuse without criminalising legitimate criticism or creating a chilling effect on journalism.
Source: Daily Trust
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