By Ishaya Ibrahim
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has been accused of using a discarded section of the Cybercrime Act to threaten netizens who post what he dislikes.
A netizen posted that past and present Inspector General of Police were corrupt in response to a comment of Adejobi eulogizing them.
The police spokesman then threatened the netizen with the Cybercrime Act.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, pointed out that the law Adejobi was relying on to threaten the netizen, no longer exists. He said it has been amended by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu gave his assent.
Adejobi had posted a framed photograph showing all individuals who held the position of Inspector General of Police (past and present) on his X page, saying: “Former and current indigenous IGPs in Nigeria. We celebrate you all (living and late). Ire oo.”
A user @hommiesdrey, said all the IGPs were corrupt. “Living and late Criminals from the most corrupt civil organisation in the entire multiverse.”
Adejobi replied to the comment while referencing the Cybercrime Prohibition Act (offences).
He said, “You will repeat it with evidence soon. It’s a matter of time. He needs to prove that all the past IGPs are corrupt or criminals. It’s a simple thing. He should know that the only court that has jurisdiction over the Cybercrime Prohibition Act (offences) is the Federal High Court.”
Inibehe Efiong waded into the matter, describing Adejobi’s comment as disgraceful and misleading.
He said, “It is disgraceful that the Force PRO has been alluding to a law that no longer exist in Nigeria.
“The provisions of the infamous Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2015 that the police has been using to harass Nigerians has been repealed by the National Assembly and replaced with a radically different and new provision.
“The amended Act was assented to by President (Bola) Tinubu in February 2024. Under the new Act, posts which are injurious to a person’s reputation is no longer a crime. The new Act limits the offence of cyberstalking to messages sent by means of a computer which are: (a) pornographic; (b) a threat to the life of another; or (c) likely to lead to a breakdown of law and order.
“In this specific case, the post made by this individual is neither pornographic, life threatening nor capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order.
“By virtue of Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, an act or omission is only an offence if it so defined expressly in a written law. Nigerians should ignore the Force PRO.”
“Calling someone a criminal is not a crime under the new Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act (as amended).
“Insult is not a crime under the Act.
“Rather than focus of ways of salvaging the bastardized image of the police, the Force PRO is constantly ruining the image of the police further with his lack of professionalism and disdain for the rights of citizens,” he added.