Paradigm
Initiative Nigeria (PIN) has written a letter to the President Muhammadu
Buhari, over what it called violation of human rights of private citizens as
well as abuse of power by some Governors in Nigeria, ITRealms reports.
The
Governors fingered in the letter, according to PIN Executive Director, Mr. Gbenga Sesan includes the incumbent Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson,
ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, ex-Governor Godwin Akpabio of
Akwa Ibom State who is also the current Minority leader in the Nigeria’s
Senate, and ex-Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan
of Delta State.
PIN,
ITRealms learnt, said that
these national figures were engaging in illegal surveillance and hacking
activities which involves them breaking into target computers and phones to
monitor citizen’s private and confidential conversations on communication
devices.
The
letter was to demand that President Buhari use his good offices to protect the
rights of citizens by Investigating and bringing to Justice every one found
culpable in these illegal activities.
Copied
in the said letter, ITRealms gathered, were; the
Vice President, Senate President, Speaker house of representative, Chief
Justice of the Federation, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of
Justice, National Security Adviser, National Human Rights
Commission, Femi Falana Chambers, Nigeria Bar Association, United Nations
Human Rights Commission, Freedom House International, Department of State
Security Services, United Nations Secretary General, and Amnesty International.
According
to the Premium Times report which
quoted sources from the National Security Adviser’s office and some of the
governments under investigation, the illegal practice of intercepted calls and
hacked phones and computers gave these public servants backdoor access to
many people’s private lives, at the expense of taxpayers they swore to serve.
Right to privacy is a constitutionally guaranteed right of every Nigerian
citizen.
As
part of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria’s Internet Freedom Advocacy efforts, ITRealms reports, PIN raised
an alarm when it was reported in the media that the Nigerian government
under President Goodluck Jonathan invested massively in surveillance equipment
as reflected in 2013 and 2014 National Budget. PIN published two Policy Briefs
on May 29, 2013 and November 29, 2013, to identify the underlying issues and
raise public awareness on the implications of these activities.
In addition to
this, a Freedom of Information request was made to demand contract details
of purchased surveillance equipment as listed in the country’s national budget
for 2013 and 2014. The request was denied, following which PIN approached the
Court in order to pursue justice.
The constitution is the supreme law in Nigeria and it does provide for freedom of speech, association, rights to privacy, etc. of every citizen. National Security has become a ready excuse for Government to acquire sophisticated technology with capability to monitor and spy private citizens’ online activities or conversations such as email, phone calls and all forms of text/chat messages.
The constitution is the supreme law in Nigeria and it does provide for freedom of speech, association, rights to privacy, etc. of every citizen. National Security has become a ready excuse for Government to acquire sophisticated technology with capability to monitor and spy private citizens’ online activities or conversations such as email, phone calls and all forms of text/chat messages.
Cyriacus
Nnaji/GEE
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