The increasing non-tolerance for free speech in Nigeria which we wrote about in our Injustice Blog this week is the core message of Digital Right Activist, Adeboye Adegoke of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) latest publication titled, “Increasing threats on free speech as political terrorism”.
He described Freedom of speech as an important tenet of any democracy and the apparent suppression of voices of dissent or whistleblowers is nothing short of terrorism in another mode. Any attack on Free Speech is a form of terror and we must curse the darkness while we can.
He also described the Cybercrime Act 2015 which was signed into Law by the erstwhile President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as a law of terror as it has done nothing to protect the right of the citizens rather it has exposed Nigerian citizens to harm especially the Section 24 of the 2015 Cybercrime Act which is now a matter of litigation at the Appeal Court of Nigeria courtesy of PIN, in collaboration with Media Rights Agenda and Enough is Enough.
Many Nigerians have borne the brunt of the misuse of the Cybercrime Act by powerful individuals in the country. Recently, John Musa a 32-year-old civil servant in Kogi state was arrested for taking the pictures of the Abuja Mansion of the “New Direction” Governor.
The growing non-tolerance for free speech in Nigeria is a sign that our hard earned democracy still has some elements of dictatorial rule in it and is also allergic to the voice of activists and activism.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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