My people, make we gather small gist! This Cybercrime Act matter wey don dey hot for Naija no be small wahala.
As we dey enter digital age, e don clear say Nigeria don turn online marketplace for all kind of tori – both good and bad! From governance gists to serious cyber fraud, the digital space don become the Burkina milk for cocoa – everybody dey taste am!
But we gats face am, how we go fit regulate cybercrime without making everybody waka like thief for street? Na the real question be dis! Constitution get provisions wey promise us say we fit talk wetin dey our mind, but wetin we go do when dem laws start to dey block mouth?
Let’s talk Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). E talk say, “Every person go dey entitled to freedom of expression.” Abeg, who no like freedom? But yes oh! Dem still get rules where you fit no just dey talk anyhow. Section 45 talk say if na public safety matter, dem fit check how you dey yarn.
But as dem dey tweak Cybercrimes Act since 2015, we don see say dem dey use am and him dey chop any criticism like jollof rice! Section 24 come dey vex people well well because e dey criminalize messages wey offend or cause annoyance. Abeg, who fit define “annoyance”? Na so dem fit tag you one bad name like say you be criminal!
This section wan turn journalists to Mummy G.O, wey dey fear to talk! Dem don dey use am against people wey just dey shine light on wetin no dey okay for government. Even Omoyele Sowore don taste this wahala when dem file cyberstalking charges against am. Wetin we go call this kind thing?
Imagine saying you fit charge person for cyber defamation but defamation don already come out from the law last year! This wan just dey show how the fingers dey point at constitution marvelously. Na Government officers and big men wey go use this to silence una. The real wahala be say dem no dey show face for court!
Nah, the heavy hand of law enforcement still dey create gbagbati for citizens. People dey afraid to talk, journalists dey self-censor, even whistleblowers dey run like chicken wey don see cat!
People dey yarn say, “Abeg, make dem clear this law!” Na true, we need better definitions wey no go turn mouth into crime! If dem no fit clarify these vague terms, e go dey like say dem dey set trap for everybody!
And make we no forget our media freedom too! Journalists need to shine their eyes well well. We sabi say dem get responsibility, but dem gats also protect data with oversight wey go match the Nigeria Data Protection Act. No be to just dey report like dem dey use magic and forget say dem need to verify facts!
For the end, na who fit repair this wahala dey look us? Naija dey at a digital crossroad, my people. Cybercrime law fit become shield for our democratic voice or continue to chop our freedom. This na our chance to make things right!
We all gats make e happen. Legislators need to stand strong, law enforcement dey learn to dey patient, and we too need to support each other and talk the right things! Make we join our hands together, so Naija go move better for this digital era!
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