Crime & Court
Stakeholders task govt. on need of formulating central database for improving on security
NIGERIA as the most populous black nation, privacy is believed to be a fundamental human right as enshrined by the constitution. But, it is disheartening that comprehensive data protection legislation has yet to be enacted as one of the fundamental human rights, even as several government and private organizations routinely collect and process personal data.
According to the broadly phrased Section 37 of the constitution which applies to personal data protection, states ‘ the privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected’.
However, the existing regulatory frameworks fall short of providing Nigerians with an adequate level of personal data protection as these frameworks fail to clearly define the level of protection afforded to the personal data collected , nor do they clearly state the obligations relating to how personal data should be handled.
Interestingly, checks revealed that Ghana has a data protection law, however, regrettably, so many organizations are collecting data and storing data, hence weakened the whole essence of the law.
Very recently, African internet stakeholders under the aegis of African Academic Network on Internet Policy, who converged at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State to attend the maiden edition of Data Privacy and Protection conference, have jointly tasked the government on the urgent need to have a single authority that would be responsible for collecting, sharing and management of personal data so as to ensure its security, avoid multiplicity of data as well as waste of resources.
The stakeholders who averred that privacy is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the constitution, also called for the enactment of a data protection act that contains data protection principles consistent with those contained in the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The conference which was supported by Google had in attendance data protection and internet experts, students, professional bodies, government, civil society, private business representatives and other stakeholders who encouraged the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to engage in public interest litigation to protect privacy, raise consumer awareness about protecting their personal information and advocate for the use of privacy enhancing technologies.
Speaking at the two day conference (Monday December 4, 2017/ Tuesday December 5, 2017), the Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, ISGPP, Dr. Tunji Olaopa explained, ’we are informed from the recognition that the contributions of Africa to the growth of internet policy has been very weak and we narrow down to the unfortunate dimension of even the African researchers not really contributing to the global conversation and if you know the extent to which internet is impacting presently and to impact in the future. Our fear was that African must avoid going into another recolonization.
‘So, to that end, a roundtable was organized in May and the challenges were highlighted. It then became very imperative to assemble the leading African experts both in Africa and diaspora to organize a network which gave birth to African Academic Network. In trying to address the gaps (Policy and Research) militating against African’s contribution, we then highlight a whole lot of symmetric areas. We have started with data privacy and security’, he continued.
Dr. Godfred Frempong of CSIR Science and Technology and Research Institute, in his submission, emphasized on the importance of data, just as he described it as a prominent weapon.
He further observed that the way data is collected, managed in Africa must be looked at critically. Worried about poor harmonization of data by various governments’ authorities, Frempong added, ‘So many organizations are collecting the same personal data. For example if you are privileged to travel, the immigration authority will collect data on you, National Insurance Authority is collecting data on us, National Identification Authority is collecting data, Electoral Commission is collecting data, Driving and Vehicle Registration Authority is collecting data, the banks are collecting data, National Identity Management Commission, Integrated Payroll and Personnel for Public Servant, Sim card registration by NCC and anywhere you go, they ask you about your personal data’, he lamented.
Concerned about data security, Mr. John Walubengo from Multimedia Centre, University of Kenya expressed displeasure over the activities of private business players who collect information such as the telecom operators, mobile banking in which they computerize or save data in digital format without prioritizing its protection. ‘How do you protect this information to ensure that it doesn’t fall into wrong hands?’, he queried.
Similarly, he stressed on the need to have a framework forcing the data collectors or controllers to adapt to minimum standard of protection. ‘We need to look at data security as protecting citizens’ right and privacy, so that all citizens in Africa are able to enjoy that security of the data collector which the businesses may not prioritize’ said Walubengo.
Also contributing, the Senior Policy Manager, World Wide Web Foundation, Mrs. Nnenna Nwakanma, who highlighted various opportunities available on the internet, described data as the biggest economy with its ability to tailor marketing to individuals. ‘Who ever have data has wealth. If you talk about the biggest companies online today they are no longer software or hardware companies, but data companies’, said Nwakanma.
She however cautioned that while data has becomes a goldmine for the digital economy, it could also hurt if not well handled, both by the data providers and handlers.
Another contentious issue at the conference was privacy protection which Mrs. Tope Ogundipe, Director of Programs, Paradigm Initiative noted that should be seen first as human rights issue rather than been posited as an economic one. She charged Nigerians to ask questions on how the barrage of data they provide to agencies are kept and used. She therefore recommended that the use of data must be in accordance with the purpose for which it was collected, stressing that consent of the individual must be obtained prior to collecting his or her personal data.
Ogundipe finally added, ‘rights of the individual to seek legal remedies for misuse or unauthorized access to personal data must be guaranteed’.
With the huge success recorded at the just concluded conference, the network planned to involve more critical stakeholders to further discussion and create platforms for engagement and training of people.
The core objective, according to the stakeholders is to see a continental approach to the desired policies.
By Idowu Ayodele.
The Nigeria Police Force has vowed to sanction its officers caught in a viral video receiving money from Chinese nationals, describing the act as a disgraceful breach of professionalism and a violation of the Force’s core values.
In the now widely circulated footage, several Chinese individuals are seen handing out naira notes to uniformed Nigerian policemen, who were lined up in what appeared to be a well-orchestrated arrangement. The video has since sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and calling for systemic reform within the police.
The disturbing scene, showing armed officers accepting cash in broad daylight, has raised serious questions about the integrity and discipline of personnel within the Force.
Reacting to the incident, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, issued a strong statement on Thursday condemning the officers’ actions as both “unprofessional and unethical.”
“The Nigeria Police Force has taken cognisance of a disturbing video making rounds in the media space, showing police officers receiving money from a Chinese national,” Adejobi stated.
“The Force has strongly condemned the conduct exhibited by the police officers in the video. The actions of the officers do not represent the established ethics, standards, and core values of the Nigeria Police Force.”
He further revealed that the officers involved have been identified and are currently undergoing disciplinary procedures, although he did not specify the nature of the sanctions to be meted out.
Adejobi assured members of the public that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate disciplinary actions would follow.
In addition, he issued a stern warning to individuals and corporate organisations who engage the services of police officers, particularly for private escorts and guard duties, urging them to refrain from acts capable of tarnishing the image of the Force.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby cautions individuals and organisations privileged to the services of police personnel, particularly as escorts and guards or other specialised services, to desist from any act capable of degrading the integrity of its officers and bringing the Force to disrepute,” he warned.
Amidst widespread public outrage over the collapse of a digital investment platform, CryptoBank Exchange (CBEX), which reportedly led to the loss of over N1.3 trillion in funds belonging to Nigerian investors, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reiterated its earlier warnings against patronising Ponzi schemes.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that the anti-graft agency had long taken steps to sensitise Nigerians on the dangers of fraudulent investment schemes.
The CBEX platform, which reportedly crashed on Monday, left countless Nigerians unable to access their investments, sparking a flurry of emotional video testimonials and appeals for justice across social media platforms.
“You’ll recall that on March 11 this year, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, directed us to issue a public alert concerning 58 Ponzi scheme companies. We made that list public – that shows we were proactive,” Oyewale said.
“Regarding CBEX, we are fully aware of the situation and have been taking action. Before the outcry, we were already investigating; during the public response, we continued working, and even now, the work is ongoing.”
He stressed that the EFCC should not be blamed for the CBEX incident, noting that the platform is run by a Chinese digital trading firm with no legal ties to Nigeria.
“All the so-called offices people mentioned in Ibadan and elsewhere are not functional; the entire operation exists online,” he clarified.
Oyewale further explained that the EFCC has consistently warned Nigerians against online criminal schemes and that extensive public awareness efforts had already been made. He argued that the onus now rests on the public to be more discerning when investing their funds.
He highlighted the importance of the recently enacted Investment and Securities Act 2025, describing it as a robust legal instrument aimed at curbing unlawful investment practices.
“Any entity engaging in digital trading without a proper licence and compliance with extant laws is committing a criminal offence,” Oyewale stated.
He also cautioned Nigerians to scrutinise unrealistic investment promises.
“If someone says, ‘Bring your money and get a 100% return in 30 days,’ that’s not only impractical, it’s deceptive,” he noted. “Even with Nigeria’s prevailing interest rate at 27.5%, no legitimate investment yields such returns.”
He urged investors to verify the compliance of investment platforms with key financial regulations, including the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022, the Proceeds of Crime Act, and the Terrorism Financing Act.
Despite the grim situation, Oyewale gave hope to victims, assuring that the EFCC is collaborating with global partners to recover the lost funds.
“We are already working with Interpol and other international development agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he confirmed.
“While the recovery process may not yield immediate results, we assure Nigerians that the EFCC will not abandon them. Escapism is not a solution – we are responsible and professional, and we will ensure justice is served.”
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday struck out the defamation suit filed against controversial blogger Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkblackman (VDM).
The suit was instituted by renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, and his son, rapper and activist Folarin Falana, widely known as Falz.
The case stemmed from comments and a video published by VDM on 24 September 2024 via his various social media platforms.
In separate suits, the Falanas sought N500 million each in damages, accusing the blogger of defaming them by alleging in the video that they had received N10 million from social media personality Idris Okuneye, a.k.a. Bobrisky, to pervert the course of justice.
The claimants contended that the defendant knowingly published unverified and false information with the intention of tarnishing their reputation. They further argued that the defamatory content remained accessible online, thereby causing continuous reputational damage.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, neither the claimants nor the defendant was present in court.
Counsel representing the defendant, Niyi Alagbe, standing in for Marvin Omorogbe, informed the court that an application for a stay of proceedings had earlier been filed before Justice Fimisola Azeez.
Responding, the Falanas’ counsel, Omotayo Olatunbosun, confirmed receipt of the said application around 4:15 p.m. on Monday, but urged the court to hear the preliminary objection, which he noted was already ripe for hearing. He argued that the new application was merely a ploy to delay the proceedings.
Justice Matthias Dawodu, in his ruling, stated that the application was not part of the case file before him and questioned why he was being asked to continue hearing the matter when the substantive suit was before another judge.
He concluded that proceeding with the current suit would amount to an academic exercise, and accordingly, struck it out.
“Consequently, this suit is hereby struck out,” the judge ruled.
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