Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government the 36 states over the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.

SERAP is arguing that “the repressive use of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 by the government to criminalize legitimate expression violate the human rights of Nigerians, including activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users”.

In a statement on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, explained that the suit was filed to stop the Tinubu administration and Nigeria’s 36 governors from using the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 to criminalize legitimate expression and punish Nigerians, including social media users.

He said: “Rather than using the amended legislation to make cyberspace and its users safer, Nigerian authorities are routinely weaponizing it to curb Nigerians’ human rights and media freedom.

“The suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/03/2025 was filed last week before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja.”

Recall that Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court had on March 25, 2022, declared Section 24 of Nigeria’s original Cybercrimes Act 2015 as “arbitrary, vague, and repressive.”

The court ordered Nigeria to repeal the provision, citing non-compliance with human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Although the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 repealed Section 24, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) argues that the reworded provisions still infringe upon freedom of expression and information.

SERAP’s concerns center around the ambiguity of “causing a breakdown of law and order” in Section 24(1)(b), which they believe threatens peaceful and legitimate expression and leaves room for abuse.

SERAP highlighted several instances where the law was allegedly misused to target government critics, including activist Dele Farotimi, journalist Agba Jalingo, and social media user Chioma Okoli.

The organization emphasized that the amended legislation has a chilling effect on human rights and media freedom.

SERAP stressed that the amended Act contravenes international human rights law, which requires restrictions on freedom of expression to serve a legitimate purpose and be strictly proportionate.

The organization seeks a declaration that Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 is unlawful and an order directing the government to repeal or amend the legislation in compliance with international standards.

However, a hearing date has not been set for the suit.

Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has applauded Mr.  Monday Okpebholo, Edo State governor, for the appointment of Mr. Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners (IDP).

Ms Maureen Chigbo, president of GOCOP and publisher of RealNews Online, described  Edomaruse’s appointment as a welcomed development.

Chigbo in a press statement by Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, GOCOP Publicity Secretary, also congratulated Edomaruse for this appointment assuring of support from over 110 members of GOCOP in carrying out his duties.

Until his appointment, Edomaruse who is a founding member of GOCOP and the Secretary General of the body of reputed online publishers is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), among others.

Edomaruse doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, and has held several senior editorial management positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor, Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles respectively, as well as the Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.

Also known as ‘General’ because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have remained unbeaten, where he ranked the best among the editors.

The website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), www.nigerianstat.gov.ng, has remained offline for three weeks following a cyber attack that compromised its operations.

As at 12am today (Friday), attempts to access the site returned an error message, indicating the page is still inaccessible.

The breach was initially confirmed by the NBS on December 18, 2024, in an announcement made on social media platform X.

In the statement, the bureau urged the public to disregard any information published on its website until further notice, signaling ongoing efforts to recover from the attack.

The hacking incident occurred shortly after the NBS released its Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey on December 17, which revealed alarming statistics about crime in Nigeria.

The survey indicated that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion in ransom over a year, from May 2023 to April 2024, and that 51.89 million crime incidents were reported across the country. The northwest region recorded the highest number of incidents, while the southeast had the least.

The day after the report’s publication, rumors surfaced that the Department of State Services (DSS) had summoned Adeniran Adeyemi, the Statistician-General of the Federation, for questioning regarding the survey. However, the NBS promptly denied these claims, clarifying that no such invitation or arrest had taken place.

Despite the confirmation of the hack, the NBS has not provided any additional updates on the restoration of its website or disclosed any developments regarding the breach.