A rights group, Global Rights, has condemned what it described as the persistent and unlawful weaponisation of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 against journalists and civic society personalities in Nigeria.
In an open letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun signed by its executive director, Abiodun Baiyewu, the rights group accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force of exploiting the Act, particularly Section 24, to bully journalists, suppress dissent and shrink the country’s civic space.
According to Global Rights, a law promulgated to fight cyber fraud and other harmful online activities has increasingly become a tool used by police personnel to criminalise defamation and legitimate criticism of government officials.
“Using police powers to criminalise defamation under the guise of the Cybercrime Act is undemocratic and risks ushering in mass censorship and repression,” Baiyewu stated.
Citing recent examples, Global Rights recalled the 2024 arrest of investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu after he reported alleged corruption within the Presidency, and the detention of Hassan Mai-Waya Kangiwa in Kebbi State following his report on neglect at Kangiwa General Hospital.
It quoted data from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) which held that 54 verified cases of press freedom violations were recorded between January and August 9, 2025, with most linked to security agencies, particularly the police.
Global Rights further stated that that despite amendments to the Cybercrime Act in 2024, which narrowed the scope of Section 24, police officers continue to enforce the law using the original, broader provisions.
The group also referenced the 2022 ruling of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in SERAP v. Nigeria, which declared Section 24 incompatible with international human rights obligations.
Quoting Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which mandates the police to protect citizens’ fundamental rights, the group urged the IGP to: Issue directives deprioritising arrests and detentions under Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act; working with the Ministry of Justice, civil society, and other stakeholders to draft clear guidelines for implementing the Act and publicly affirming the Police Force’s commitment to upholding press freedom, freedom of expression, and civic rights.
“The incessant harassment and detention of journalists and civic actors by state agents, particularly the police, is a dangerous and anti-democratic trend that must be reversed,” the group stated, as it underlined the primacy of protecting press freedom and civic space as essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and enhancing accountability in governance
