CSO Urges Collective Action Against Digital Rights Violation

A civil society organisation (CSO), Accountability Lab Nigeria, has called for collective action by stakeholders to halt the rising cases of digital rights violation in Nasarawa State.

At a one-day community-focused workshop on digital rights, data protection and accountability, in Lafia, the country director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Mr Odeh Friday, acknowledged that the menace undermined development and threatened the rights to privacy of citizens.

He advocated for comprehensive legal reforms, civic advocacy and institutional accountability among others as measures to address the challenge.

He said CSOs and journalists have a critical role to play in the ongoing efforts to protect citizens from abuse through intensive advocacy and education.

According to him, such effort can be achieved through ethical reporting practices that emphasises consent, strict confidentiality, and responsible data handling.

Also speaking, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Associate of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Alfred Ijeloesa Agu called on them to help amplify voices against abuses.

He called for the establishment of a network of advocates and local actors who can promote awareness, support affected persons, and contribute to inclusive and accountable digital governance in the state.

According to him, the workshop being supported by Luminate, aims to help the participants better engage in multi-stakeholder discussions on digital rights, online safety, and the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

He said platforms such as Ripoti, has been assisting in reporting and tracking rights violations as well as holding institutions and individuals accountable for breaches of their digital rights.

He noted that people can report their rights violations on the Ripoti platform in English, French, Swahili, and in Portuguese, as a way to receive complaints from other African countries apart from Nigeria.

Also, the Gender Associate, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Akakan Markson emphasised that the current digital age requires immediate, collaborative, and structured action to protect citizens online.

She noted that the workshop was designed to address the unique digital rights challenges facing diverse demographics in the state, including community members, journalists, students, women, and creatives.

“We must move beyond mere conversations and toward a shared understanding and actionable framework that strengthens the protection and promotion of digital rights across Nasarawa State”, she stated.