The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors have issued a joint condemnation of the Tinubu administration over what they describe as the deliberate weaponisation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 to silence the media, harass journalists, and stifle press freedom in Nigeria.
In a strongly worded statement released over the weekend, both bodies demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all journalists detained under questionable charges related to the Cybercrimes Act. They accused the government of misusing the legislation to criminalize investigative reporting, dissenting opinions, and digital expression that hold those in power accountable.
“This trend marks a grave assault on democratic norms,” said SERAP Executive Director Kolawole Oluwadare. “The Cybercrimes Act was never intended to be a political tool for censorship or persecution. Its repeated misuse against journalists, whistleblowers, and activists undermines the constitutional right to freedom of expression.”
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in its accompanying statement, decried the growing atmosphere of fear in media houses across the country. NGE President, Eze Anaba, warned that the clampdown on press freedom has reached alarming levels, with the government exploiting legal loopholes to muzzle journalists reporting on corruption, governance failures, and human rights violations.
Both SERAP and the NGE pointed to recent high-profile arrests and detentions of investigative journalists who have been charged with “cyberstalking” for publishing critical reports. They emphasized that these actions violate regional and international obligations, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The joint statement called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct law enforcement agencies to cease the arbitrary use of the Cybercrimes Act and to initiate urgent reforms to align it with international human rights standards.
“Democracy dies in silence,” the statement read. “We urge the President to demonstrate leadership by upholding press freedom, respecting civil liberties, and ensuring the immediate release of all detained journalists.”