Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have urged the Federal Government to immediately end the use of draconian Cybercrimes Act to target journalists, activists, critics and other Nigerians peacefully expressing their views online, and release those in custody across the federation.

The groups, in a statement, said 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 President Bola Tinubu administration.

According to the groups, using laws that don’t conform with the constitution or guarantee international human rights standards like the Cybercrimes Act erodes democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.

The statement followed the press conference on ‘Unchecked Injustice: How Authorities Are Weaponising the Cybercrimes Act to Stifle Peaceful Dissent and Media Freedom in Nigeria’, jointly organised by SERAP and NGE to mark the World Press Freedom Day.

The groups also said Nigerian authorities at all levels should show that they tolerate peaceful dissent and media freedom if the people are to have any chance of holding them accountable for their constitutional oath of office, commitments and promises.

“We are concerned that Nigerian authorities have continued to use the Cybercrime Act to normalise repression of the rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, opposition politicians, artists and other Nigerians.

“Nigerian authorities at all levels of government should immediately stop using the Cybercrimes Act and regulations disguised as broadcasting code by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to target, intimidate and harass journalists, bloggers, critics and media houses.

“Impunity for those who threaten, intimidate and harass journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and activists exacerbates the hostile environment for these defenders of constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights in Nigeria.”

They noted that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms, ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.

“Since the amendment of the Cybercrime Act in 2024, Nigerian authorities at all levels have consistently used the provisions of the Cybercrime Act, including the provisions of Section 24 on cyberstalking to harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest and detain and unfairly prosecute users of social media, activists, and journalists.

“Nigerian authorities at all levels increasingly use criminal defamation laws and other repressive laws to crack down on human rights and peaceful dissent, bringing frivolous lawsuits against journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and activists.”

The group, therefore, called on the Federal Government to review the Cybercrime Act and other “repressive laws” for potential restrictions on free speech and press and amend them in line with constitutional and international human rights standards to uphold the human rights of every Nigerian and media freedom.