Group condemns Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act, calls for immediate repeal

A group, Take It Back Movement has condemned the Cybercrime Act of 2024, calling for an immediate and unconditional repeal of the Act.

The group made thjs call on Thursday at a press conference in Lagos, to address Freedom of Information, Press Freedom, Cybercrime, Digital Campaigns and Online Protection.

The press conference also addressed the abuse of the Cybercrime Act by security agencies and attacks by the authorities on freedom of information.

The group stated that the oppressive law has no place in a free and just society.

According to the group, the draconian tool wielded by the former president, General Muhammadu Buhari tyrannical regime and further employed by Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime to muzzle dissent and crush the voices of the Nigerian people.

It National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu said the Cybercrime Act has not been an Act about combating cybercrime; it is a weapon of mass suppression, a digital shackling, designed to silence Nigerians who dare to challenge the corrupt and illegitimate powers that be, including opposition voices, journalists, and young people freely expressing their opinions on TikTok, and twitter.

“Leader, and founder of our oganisation has been repeatedly hounded using this infamous act. Dele Farotimi, Olamide Thomas, Olumide Ogunsanwo, and Fisayo Soyombo are few of the numerous victims of this repressive act.

“As a pro people movement, we, today, declare that this Act is an affront to the fundamental rights enshrined in our constitution and a blatant violation of the freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is the lifeblood of any true democracy.

*This regime which is clearly terrified by the truth, seeks to criminalise dissent, labeling every critical voice as a cybercriminal,” Sanyaolu stated.

Take It Back Movement further demands an immediate end to the persecution of activists, journalists, and citizens under the guise of Enforcing Cybercrime.

They call on Nigerians to resist all attempts to turn yhe digital spaces into zones of oppression stating that they stand for a free digital space for all to express their thoughts.

Human right lawyer, Femi Falana added that the Cybercrime Act of 2015 criminalised even annoyance, that if you annoy a big man, you have committed an offence, (it criminalised) defamation, insult, that if you insult a big man, you have committed an offence.

“We challenged the law, that Section 24 based on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) judgment mandating Nigeria to amend the law to respect the rights of Nigerians to express themselves.

“If I write against somebody, it’s not pornographic, it won’t lead to the breakdown of law and order, I have only defamed you, so you go to court, you sue for libel,” he said.

Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore also condemned the Act, described it as attack on press freedom in Nigeria, citing the arrest of journalists and social media users.

“Nigeria cannot boast of democracy if citizens cannot freely use the social media or if journalists cannot publish without being intimidated.

“Everyone must be able to freely express themselves. It is when people talk against authorities that they are charged for cybercrime. We must end the bias and selective use of the law against the poor and vulnerable,” he said.