NGE, SERAP demand end to cybercrimes act abuse, call for release of detainees
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and SERAP urge President Tinubu to cease weaponizing the Cybercrimes Act against journalists and activists, demanding immediate release of those detained.
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and SERAP urge President Tinubu to cease weaponizing the Cybercrimes Act against journalists and activists, demanding immediate release of those detained
The Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have jointly called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to immediately halt the misuse of the Cybercrimes Act to target journalists, activists, and critics.
They demand the release of all individuals detained under this legislation, citing its chilling effect on freedom of expression.
In a press conference held on World Press Freedom Day, the groups highlighted the Act’s inconsistency with constitutional and international human rights standards.
They emphasized the need for Nigerian authorities at all levels to demonstrate tolerance for peaceful dissent and media freedom.
“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 Tinubu administration,” stated the joint statement.
Nigerian authorities at all levels should show that they tolerate peaceful dissent and media freedom if the Nigerian people are to have any chance of holding them accountable on their constitutional oath of office, commitments and promises.
The NGE and SERAP also urged the Attorney General to push for amendments to the Cybercrimes Act, bringing it in line with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
They called on the National Assembly to review the Act and other restrictive legislation, and for state governors to ensure security agencies drop charges against journalists and critics.
The groups further called on the international community to hold Nigerian authorities accountable for human rights violations.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.