Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has cautioned that existing interception and surveillance regulations in the country could be deployed against civilians and critics of the government if not properly subjected to legislative scrutiny.

SERAP called on President Bola Tinubu to direct Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,  to immediately withdraw the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019.

In a statement earlier in the week, SERAP, described the rules as unconstitutional and inconsistent with Nigeria’s international obligations.

Also Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of SERAP, during an interview on Arise Television, called for greater transparency and public participation in shaping such regulations.

In its statement, the organization, said that the regulations establish a sweeping mass surveillance regime that violates Nigerians’ constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights, including to privacy and freedom of expression.

• “The Regulations grant overly broad and vague powers to intercept communications on grounds such as ‘national security,’ ‘economic wellbeing,’ and ‘public emergency,’ without adequate judicial safeguards, independent oversight, transparency, or effective remedies. 
• “Serious interferences with fundamental rights cannot be authorised through subsidiary regulations or exercised in secrecy without strict safeguards. 
• “Surveillance measures that lack strict necessity, proportionality and independent judicial oversight can easily be weaponised against political opponents, journalists, civil society actors and election observers,” the organization stated.

And during an interview on Arise Television, Oluwadare, insisted that regulations with such far-reaching implications must undergo a thorough legislative process, including public hearings.

Oluwadare’s comments followed allegations by Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, who had claimed that he and another individual intercepted a phone conversation involving Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser.

The former Governor’s claims have since sparked renewed debate over the scope and oversight of surveillance powers granted to security agencies.

With the kind of weight and power this kind of regulation has, it should go through the legislative process and public hearing. These regulations will take away major rights Nigerians have,” Oluwadare said.

He argued that the current framework governing interception may not be necessary in its present form, noting that concerns remain over vague wording, insufficient safeguards for civil liberties, and the potential for abuse.

The SERAP deputy director expressed apprehension over how security agencies exercise interception powers.

“It is unclear how agencies like the DSS or the Office of the National Security Adviser utilise these powers, raising concerns that they might be used against civilians or government critics,” he stated.

According to him, regulations of such magnitude, especially those capable of impacting fundamental human rights, must be subjected to robust legislative scrutiny to ensure they strike a balance between national security and civil liberties.

Oluwadare clarified that his position does not amount to opposing an interception framework entirely, but rather advocating for one that aligns with international best practices.

“This stance does not advocate against an interception framework altogether, but rather suggests it should align with models found in other jurisdictions, incorporating robust safeguards as envisioned in existing legal frameworks,” he explained.

Oluwadare added that public participation would not only strengthen accountability but also enhance the effectiveness of such laws in addressing insecurity without undermining democratic freedoms.

MultiChoice has said that it will not implement its customary yearly price increase on DStv and GOtv subscriptions.

This is the first time the Pay-TV company will not be adjusting its price in April, as it has in previous years, signalling a clear shift in direction under its new owner, Canal+.

The decision, confirmed by David Mignot, group chief executive,MultiChoice in an interview with TechCentral, comes as the pay television operator grapples with steep subscriber losses across its markets.

For many households accustomed to annual April tariff adjustments, the announcement will be a welcome break.

Responding to questions about whether DStv prices would rise in April as they have in previous years, Mignot gave a firm response: there will be no increase.

He explained that the company’s immediate focus is on rebuilding its subscriber base, making this an unsuitable period to adjust prices upward.

He added that while there are no current plans for a price hike, the company has not completely ruled out adjustments later in the year, especially if economic conditions demand it, such as significant currency movements.

MultiChoice has historically reviewed and raised DStv subscription fees in April, often citing inflationary pressures and rising content costs. As recently as April 2025, bouquet prices were adjusted upwards by between 2.1 per cent and 7.9 per cent.

The DStv Premium package rose from R929 to R979 per month, while DStv Access, the entry-level satellite package, recorded one of the steepest increases.

This year’s pause represents a break from that pattern and forms part of a broader reset following Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025.

Mignot, who brings three decades of experience in the pay television industry, summed up his mission in simple terms: halt subscriber losses and return the business to growth.

The urgency behind the move is evident in MultiChoice’s recent performance.

The group has lost 2.8 million linear broadcasting subscribers in the two years ended 31 March 2025, with roughly half of those losses occurring in South Africa.

In the financial year to end-March 2025 alone, MultiChoice shed 1.2 million subscribers, representing an eight per cent year-on-year decline and leaving the group with 14.5 million active customers.

The previous year saw an even steeper drop of 1.6 million subscribers. By June 2025, Canal+ indicated that the pace of decline had intensified further.

The financial impact has been significant. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2025 declined by R4 billion to R52 billion, while trading profit fell sharply by 49 per cent to R4 billion.

According to Mignot, the company’s difficulties stem less from its programming slate and more from weaknesses in its commercial execution.

He argued that in subscription businesses, a churn rate of between 12 and 15 per cent annually is inevitable as customers relocate, experience job losses, adjust household budgets, or change priorities. Without attracting a comparable number of new subscribers each year, losses accumulate.

Mignot maintained that the content offering remains strong, particularly in sport and general entertainment. He cited flagship brands such as SuperSport, M-Net and Africa Magic as evidence of sustained investment in programming. However, he stressed that content strength alone cannot offset a weakening subscriber acquisition engine.

He noted that MultiChoice’s commercial machinery had performed robustly across Africa until around 2022, describing the current challenges as relatively recent.

Drawing on Canal+’s experience in French-speaking African markets, Mignot pointed out that pricing there has remained largely unchanged for close to 14 years, supported by a volume-driven approach. He described his strategy as one focused on growing subscriber numbers while maintaining profitability.

While he did not dismiss the possibility of reviewing prices downward in future, he indicated that no such decision has been taken.

Microplastics have now been found inside most prostate cancer tumors — and at strikingly higher levels than in healthy tissue.

A new study reports that tiny plastic particles were present in nine out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Researchers also found that these fragments appeared in greater amounts inside cancerous tumors than in nearby noncancerous prostate tissue.

The investigation was conducted at NYU Langone Health, including its Perlmutter Cancer Center and Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards.

Scientists set out to examine whether exposure to microplastics could play a role in the development of prostate cancer, which the American Cancer Society identifies as the most common cancer affecting American men.

Plastic used in food containers, packaging, cosmetics, and other everyday products can break down into microscopic pieces when heated, worn down, or chemically altered.

These particles can be swallowed, inhaled from the air, or absorbed through the skin. Previous research has detected microplastics throughout the human body, including in major organs, bodily fluids, and even the placenta.

Despite their widespread presence, scientists still do not fully understand their health effects.

For this study, researchers analyzed prostate tissue samples from 10 patients undergoing surgery to remove the prostate gland. Microplastic particles were identified in 90% of tumor samples and in 70% of noncancerous samples.

Notably, tumor tissue contained significantly more plastic.

On average, cancerous samples had about 2.5 times the concentration found in healthy prostate tissue (about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared with 16 micrograms per gram).

“Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” said study lead author Stacy Loeb, MD, a professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Departments of Urology and Population Health.

Loeb explained that while earlier studies had hinted at links between microplastics and conditions such as heart disease and dementia, there had been little direct research connecting them to prostate cancer.

The findings will be presented on February 26 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

According to Loeb, this is the first study conducted in the West to measure microplastic levels in prostate tumors and directly compare them with levels in noncancerous prostate tissue.

To carry out the analysis, scientists first examined the tissue visually. They then used specialized instruments to measure the quantity, chemical makeup, and structural characteristics of microplastic particles. The team focused on 12 of the most commonly produced plastic molecules.

Because plastic is widely used in medical and laboratory tools, the researchers took extra precautions to prevent contamination. They replaced plastic equipment with alternatives made from aluminum, cotton, and other nonplastic materials. All testing took place in controlled, clean rooms specifically designed for microplastic analysis.

“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” said study senior author Vittorio Albergamo, PhD.

Albergamo, an assistant professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, said the next step is to determine how microplastics behave inside the body and whether they contribute directly to cancer development. One theory the team plans to investigate is whether these particles trigger a persistent immune response (inflammation) in prostate tissue.

Over time, chronic inflammation can damage cells and lead to genetic changes that allow cancer to form.

Albergamo emphasized that the study involved a small number of patients and that larger studies will be necessary to confirm the results.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Meeting: American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium

The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.

In addition to Loeb and Albergamo, the NYU Langone research team included Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP; Trevor Johnson, PhD; Fang-Ming Deng, MD, PhD; Mark Strong, DO; David Wise, MD, PhD; José Alemán, MD, PhD; Zixuan Mo, BS; Mariana Rangel Camacho, BS; Nataliya Byrne, BA; Tatiana Sanchez Nolasco, MPH; Adrian Rivera, MPH; William Huang, MD; Herbert Lepor, MD; Wei Phin Tan, MD; and James Wysock, MD.

Samir Taneja, MD, of Northwell Health in New York City also contributed to the study.

Loeb has consulted for pharmaceutical company Astellas, digital health company Savor Health, and men’s health organization Movember, and has received research support from Endo USA Inc. She also participated in advisory boards for Endo USA, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Pfizer, Sumitomo Pharma, and Doceree. Wysock has consulted for medical equipment manufacturers Edap — Focal One, and URO-1 Medical. Wise is a paid consultant for Pfizer, Bayer, K36, OncoC4, AstraZeneca, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and is an expert witness for Exxon Mobil. None of these activities are related to the current study. NYU Langone Health is managing the terms and conditions of these relationships in accordance with its policies and procedures.

Credit…..scitechdaily.com