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According to the list, galore of the affected persons were accused of cyberstalking, publishing "false information," oregon making captious statements astir nationalist officials online.
The Take-It-Back (TIB) Movement, a civic advocacy group, has released a database of 19 Nigerians who person been targeted, hunted, and detained by the Nigerian authorities nether the arguable Cybercrime Act, 2024.
The list, released by the organisation connected Tuesday alongside a study of its April 7, 2025 nationwide protest, spans from 2017 to 2025 and includes journalists, activists, and societal media influencers.
According to the list, galore of the affected persons were accused of cyberstalking, publishing "false information," oregon making captious statements astir nationalist officials online.
The organisation stated that the Cybercrime Act of 2024, initially designed to curb net fraud and support integer integrity, is progressively being utilized by the Nigerian authorities to soundlessness dissent and punish escaped expression.
The database includes Agba Jalingo, a writer who was detained for 174 days successful 2019 for publishing a study alleging fiscal misappropriation by the Cross River State authorities nether the enactment of erstwhile Governor Ben Ayade.
Omoyele Sowore, quality rights activist, convener of #RevolutionNow Movement and statesmanlike campaigner of the African Action Congress (AAC), who has suffered aggregate arrests and who has been detained astatine respective occasions for implicit 150 days since 2019.
Sowore, who was initially detained implicit the #RevolutionNow protests, has besides been accused by the Nigerian government, of posting seditious contented online.
Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative writer with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was hunted, arrested and detained for 10 days successful 2024 for his communicative connected alleged corruption involving a erstwhile minister.
Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known arsenic Seaking, who has been detained aggregate times, with archetypal detention lasting 17 days aft helium was arrested connected December 20, 2024. He was released connected January 6, 2025, and rearrested successful 2025.
Seaking was accused of cyberstalking and inciting unit against constabulary and insulting Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) successful TikTok videos.
Isaac Bristol, popularly known arsenic PIDOM, who was detained for 60 days successful 2024 for allegedly leaking classified documents online.
Human rights activistic and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, who was arrested successful Lagos and transported to Ekiti authorities wherever helium was detained for 18 days.
Farotimi was accused of claiming online that Afe Babalola (SAN) had corrupted the Nigerian judiciary.
Female quality rights activist, Olamide Thomas, who was hunted and arrested successful her Lagos residence and transported to Abuja wherever she was detained for 24 days, implicit a viral video successful which the Nigeria Police Force accused her of insulting President Bola Tinubu’s lad and constabulary officers.
Martin Otse, popularly known arsenic VeryDarkMan, who was arrested and detained for 14 days implicit alleged cyberstalking done captious societal media posts.
Emperor Gabriel Ogbonna, who was arrested and detained for 141 days successful 2020 for a Facebook station successful which helium was accused of alleging a accepted oath-taking ritual by the past Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpazu.
Chinonso Uba, who was arrested and detained for 10 days successful 2024 for criticizing constabulary actions online.
Others are Funke Olakunrin, who was detained for 4 days successful 2024 for allegedly cyberstalking a section person online; Blessing Agbomhere, who was detained for 5 days successful 2024 for posting contented captious of a governmental figure, and Kufre Carter, who was detained for 60 days successful 2020 aft helium was accused of criticising a authorities politician connected societal media.
Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, arrested and detained for 25 days successful 2020 for making online posts captious of the Imo State authorities nether the enactment of Governor Hope Uzodinma; Aliyu Musa, who was detained for 5 days successful 2024 aft helium was accused of posting a TikTok video criticizing the police.
Saint Mienpamo Onitsha, who was detained for 30 days successful 2020 aft helium was accused of reporting online astir a COVID-19 isolation centre collapse; Chidiebere Onyegbuchule, detained for 14 days successful 2020 implicit alleged cyberstalking of a nationalist fig online.
Rotimi Jolayemi, who was arrested and detained for 43 days successful 2020 aft helium was accused of recitingn a poem online that criticized the past Minister of Information, and Oliver Fejiro, who was detained for 56 days successful 2017 for publishing investigative reports deemed defamatory.
The TIB Movement noted, “The Cybercrime Act of 2024 was introduced to code the increasing concerns implicit cyber threats and crimes successful Nigeria. However, … the Act has been weaponized to stifle escaped code and people critics of the government.”
The TIB Movement vowed that it indispensable proceed to enactment unit connected “the callous Nigerian legislative limb and full authorities to initiate a nationalist proceeding process and measure the Act’s arguable provisions, peculiarly those affecting state of look and property freedom.”
As calls turn for betterment oregon repeal of the Cybercrime Act, this caller database is expected to intensify nationalist statement astir integer rights, property freedom, and the extortion of civilian liberties successful Nigeria’s antiauthoritarian landscape.
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