The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has declared Section 24 of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act vague, arbitrary and unlawful.
SERAP said the ECOWAS Court gave the ruling in a suit it filed before the court, saying that Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act is contrary to the rule of law; therefore, the Nigeria Police cannot charge anyone with cyberstalking based on the provision of Section 24.
“The ECOWAS Court has ruled [in the suit brought by SERAP] that Section 24 of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act is vague, arbitrary, and unlawful.
“So, it is contrary to the rule of law for the police to charge anyone with supposed ‘cyberstalking’. Section 24 is INVALID!” SERAP stated on its Twitter page on Wednesday.
This comes a few hours after the Nigeria Police Force said it would arraign a Twitter user identified as Mr. Chude Franklin Nnamdi, who was arrested for posting about alleged ballot box snatching during Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections in Anambra State.
SaharaReporters reported that Chude on Saturday tweeted that the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had taken the state back to the ballot box snatching era, adding that the elections witnessed ugly incidents in many parts of the state.
The police confirmed Chude’s arrest in a statement released on Wednesday by the Force Spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, claiming that a prima facie case had been established against him. The police claimed that his Twitter post violated Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015 and other criminal laws.
