NPAN warns President Jonathan to Withdraw Cybercrime Bill Now

Concerned about the potential of the federal government’s proposed cybercrime law to stifle free speech, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw the bill which is now before the two chambers of the National Assembly without further delay.

In a communiqué dated February 6, 2014, which was issued by NPAN and signed by its president, Mr Nduka Obaigbena, the association noted with concern that the bill grants security agencies powers to spy on electronic communications between individuals and track data use from Internet service providers and mobile networks.

“NPAN views with serious concern the report that the federal government has initiated a draft law that empowers security agents to intercept and record electronic communications between individuals and track data use from Internet service providers and mobile network,” it said. “This bill is a dangerous potent to the constitutional guarantee of free speech and is therefore an invitation of arbitrariness.”

NPAN stated that “the federal government should withdraw this obnoxious bill in line with its constitutional obligation to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens”.

Entitled “Cybercrime Bill, 2013”, the proposed law was sent to the National Assembly two weeks ago.

In section 22, the bill states: “Where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the content of any electronic communication is reasonably required for the purposes of a criminal investigation or proceedings, a judge may on the basis of information on oath:

“(a) order a service provider, through the application of technical means, to collect, record, permit or assist competent authorities with the collection or recording of content data associated with specified communications transmitted by means of a computer system; or

“(b) authorise a law enforcement officer to collect or record such data through application of technical means.

“Electronic communication” here covers all ‘communication in electronic format, instant messages, short message service (SMS), e-mail, video, voice mails, multimedia message service (MMS), fax and pager.’
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