The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted the Nigeria Police Force and the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over alleged delays in investigating a reported data breach at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

The group said more than a year after a petition was submitted, neither agency had publicly disclosed the status of its investigation.

In a statement issued on Sunday, HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the petition raised allegations of cybercrime, unlawful interception of private communications and data protection violations involving a senior naval officer and other NIPSS officials.

The petition was submitted on July 1, 2025, by PRNigeria Publisher, Alhaji Yushau A. Shuaib.

According to HURIWA, Shuaib alleged that private digital correspondence belonging to him and his organisation was accessed, intercepted and used during disciplinary proceedings at NIPSS without a court order or other lawful authorisation.

The group said Barrister Nima Salman Mann, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha and Professor Elias Wahab were named in connection with the allegations.

HURIWA argued that the allegations, if established through investigation, could have implications under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and other cybercrime laws.

It called on the NDPC, headed by National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Vincent Olatunji, to explain the status of the petition and disclose any interim findings.

The group also urged Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, to direct the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to expedite the investigation and invite all persons named in the petition for questioning where necessary.

HURIWA said the delay was troubling because the matter involved issues of privacy, data governance and the protection of confidential communications.

According to the group, “the matter has gone beyond an individual grievance” and now represents a test of Nigeria’s commitment to enforcing its data protection laws, particularly within public institutions.

HURIWA also raised concerns over the alleged failure of the police to question some of the persons named in the petition, particularly Rear Admiral Mustapha, whom it described as central to the allegations.

The association further alleged a possible conflict of interest arising from institutional affiliations. It said Mann and Mustapha are members of the National Institute, alongside former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Sadiq Idris Abubakar, who previously supervised the FCID.

HURIWA said any perception that institutional relationships could influence the handling of the matter would undermine public confidence in law enforcement and the principle of equality before the law.

The controversy has also attracted renewed attention following the publication of Shuaib’s memoir, MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying, which chronicles his experience during the 2025 Senior Executive Course at NIPSS.

HURIWA said the memoir had brought the dispute back into public discussion but maintained that the alleged cybercrime and data breach claims should be investigated separately from the disagreement over Shuaib’s withdrawal from the programme.

The association also dismissed any suggestion that pending civil litigation should prevent criminal investigation, citing what it described as an elementary principle of law.

“An elementary principle of law is that the existence of a civil suit does not bar criminal investigation or prosecution where criminal offences are alleged,” it said.

HURIWA warned that continued inaction could fuel perceptions of selective justice and weaken public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting citizens’ privacy and enforcing cybercrime laws.

It therefore urged the police and NDPC to act promptly and transparently, insisting that the allegations should be resolved through due process rather than prolonged silence.

The association said it would continue to monitor the matter and advocate stronger institutional safeguards for digital privacy, accountability and the rule of law in Nigeria.