Coalition Rallies Against Police Misuse of Cybercrime Act, Demands Journalist's Release

In a significant move aimed at safeguarding press freedom, the Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has vocally urged the Inspector General of Police to halt the misuse of the Cybercrime Act, 2015, as a tool for unwarranted persecution and detention of journalists and media personnel. The coalition's plea follows the distressing incident involving the arrest and ongoing confinement of Mr. Daniel Ojukwu, an esteemed journalist affiliated with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), purportedly for transgressions under the Cybercrime Act, as per reports from the Nigeria Police.

Expressing profound consternation over Mr. Ojukwu's apprehension, the coalition underscored the egregious violation of his fundamental human rights, deeming it an egregious assault on the bedrock principles of press freedom. The arrest, conducted without transparent due process, has not only raised concerns about arbitrary detainment but has also sparked fears of a chilling effect on journalistic endeavors within the country.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation Development (CJID), Busola Ajibola, the coalition issued a resolute call for immediate action, urging the Nigerian police authorities to promptly release Mr. Daniel Ojukwu and ensure that all legal protocols are meticulously observed in his engagement. 

Moreover, the coalition fervently implored the Inspector General of Police to undertake decisive measures to prevent the Cybercrime Act, 2015, from being wielded as a coercive instrument to suppress journalistic inquiry and intimidate media practitioners. Citing a litany of past instances where this legislation has been invoked to unjustly target and incarcerate journalists, the coalition highlighted the imperative of upholding the sanctity of journalism as a cornerstone of democratic governance.

"We also call on the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the Cybercrime Act 2015 ceases to be a weapon used in the harassment and arbitrarily detainment of journalists and media workers," the coalition articulated in its statement.

In advocating for the safeguarding of press freedom, the coalition underscored the indispensable role of journalism in the sustenance of democracy, cautioning that any erosion of its foundational principles poses a grave threat to the fabric of democratic governance itself.