Prioritize digital rights, CITAD urges new administration – Newsdiaryonline

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on the new administration to prioritize the digital rights of Nigerian citizens.

In statement on Wednesday, the Digital Rights Officer, CITAD, Ali Sabo, stressed the need for the new administration to take the digital rise of citizens seriously.

Sabo noted that digital rights have become an increasingly important issue in the world and Nigeria in particular in recent years.

He said,”I would like to on behalf of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) welcome you to this urgent press conference on the situation of Digital Rights in Nigeria. Gentlemen of the press, you would remember that in this same month, we called on the president to respect the digital rights of the citizens when he take over the affairs of the country and ensure the protection of the citizens’ data and privacy.

“Similarly, in the month of March we called the attention of the Nigerian Police Force against the arbitrary arrest of citizens on the order of some overzealous politicians who misused their offices to trample on the fundamental human rights of the citizens.

“As we are all aware, digital rights have become an increasingly important issue in the world and Nigeria in particular in recent years. With the rise of digital technologies and the internet, Artificial Intelligence, more and more people are relying on digital platforms to communicate, access information, conduct businesses and engage with other individuals on daily basis.”

Sabo pointed out that the digital space in Nigeria is currently facing challenges that has impacted negatively on the digital rights of Nigerian citizens.

He said,”However, the digital space in Nigeria is currently facing a number of challenges, which are having a negative impact on the digital rights of Nigerian citizens. These challenges include: Content Takedown and Censorship: There have been many reported cases of government censorship and taking down content of citizens on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram without any justification or order from a competent court.

“Internet shutdowns: There have been instances where the government has ordered the shutdown of the internet and social media. For example, in 2020, the Nigerian government ordered the complete shutdown of Twitter for six months. It also disconnected parts of a number of states such as Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina State in the guises of fighting bandits. While banditry continued throughout the period, ordinary citizens found it difficult to communicate even when they came under attacks by the bandits. This shutdown has jeopardized the lives of many citizens, crumbled businesses and denied citizens their freedom of expression and association on this platform

“Privacy Violations and Surveillance: There are concerns about government surveillance of citizens’ online activities and the collection of personal data by private companies for no reason or justification. This concern has been raised in many platforms by human rights activists and digital rights advocates, especially with the recent purchase of surveillance gadgets by the Nigerian government.”

According to Sabo, online harassment and Cybercrime have been on the rise in Nigeria, adding that many Nigerians are experiencing online bullying, threats, and abuse and that the perpetrators of these acts are going scout free.

“There has been a rise in cybercrime and online harassment, with many Nigerians experiencing online bullying, threats, and abuse and the perpetrators of these acts are going scout free without being punished. Women and children are key victims of this, an aspect that is making it difficult to bridging the gender digital divide as more women tend to fear the digital space.

“All of these are having a detrimental effect on the digital rights of Nigerians, including the right to freedom of expression, the right to privacy, the right to association online, and the right to access information. As an organization working on the area of human rights protection and digital rights, we deem it necessary to draw the attention of the new administration in Nigeria to as a matter of urgency and public interest to do the followings:

“The new administration in Nigeria needs to set a comprehensive data protection legislation that will regulate the collection, use, and sharing of personal data by public and private entities. We are calling the president to prioritize passing of the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill which will protect citizens’ privacy and prevent abuse of personal data.

“The president should ensure that Nigerians have the right to access and share information freely online without censorship, intimidation, or harassment. Also, his government need to work towards creating an enabling environment for online expression and digital journalism, protecting whistleblowers, and strengthening mechanisms for transparency and accountability.

“The increasing use of digital technologies in Nigeria has poses more risk for people who become victims of cyber threats and attacks. There is need for the new administration to work towards strengthening cybersecurity measures to ensure the safety and security of citizens’ online activities and prevent cybercrime,” he said.

He pointed out that another aspect the new administration should focus on is digital literacy as there is a significant digital divide in Nigeria, with many people lacking basic digital literacy skills.

“We could see this with the introduction of cashless policy in the country. There is need for the government to prioritize investment in digital education initiatives to provide citizens with the necessary skills to participate in the digital economy and benefit from the opportunities presented by emerging technologies.

“We also call on the 10th National Assembly to show the same zeal as the 9th Assembly in order to ensure the speedy passage of the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill as it would enable the country to have a comprehensive data protection system, and the president to ensure it assent once presented to him.

“Finally, we believe that if the new administration consider and implement these actions, the country’s digital space will become more open, free, and secure for all citizens, which in return will provide better investment in the country’s digital space by both citizens and foreign investors considering that creating jobs in digital technology is one of the priorities of this government,” Sabo said.