The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on the Nigerian government to protect the rights of citizens online as the country moves into a new digital era.
CITAD’s Digital Rights Officer, Ali Sabo revealed this during a two-day training on Digital Rights Awareness for CSOs and Journalists organised in collaboration with Association for Progressive Communication (APC) on Thursday and Friday in Kano.
According to Sabo, Digital rights are now as important as human rights offline.
“Digital rights is one of the emerging global issues, So, the rights we enjoy offline like freedom of expression, movement, and association must also be protected online.
“We are now moving beyond the internet into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and other advanced technologies. It is important for the government and those in power to protect the rights of people online just like they protect them offline.”;
Sabo warned that the rise of fake news, hate speech and misinformation on digital platforms is a serious concern.
He raised the alarm over gender-based violence online, which he said has become common and dangerous.
“We have seen cases where people are abused and attacked online. Some victims even commit suicide because of the trauma they go through.
“The right to use the internet is not a privilege, it is a right. CITAD is committed to reporting digital rights abuse and supporting victims.That is why we are training 20 civil society actors and journalists, who are working in different areas, to help amplify the voices of the voiceless by reporting such violations across the country.”;
“What we are mainly focusing on in our work is protecting key digital freedoms, including freedom of expression, movement, association, and access to information. We also advocate for inclusive access to the internet for everyone across the country,”; Sabo said.
While the Cybercrime Act of 2015 was introduced to tackle crimes online, Sabo said it is now being misused by authorities.
“There is overuse of the Cybercrime Act. Sometimes, the government hides behind the Cybercrime Act to punish journalists, civil society, and opposition voices,”; he explained.
CITAD urged authorities to stop using laws meant for security to clamp down on free speech, and instead focus on making the digital space safe, open, and fair for all.
