By Chimezie Godfrey
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on relevant stakeholders to ensure that the rights of the citizens both online and offline are being protected during and after the 2023 general elections.
The call was made in a statement signed by
Ali Sabo, Digital Rights Officer, CITAD, made available to newsmen on Thursday.
Sabo said going into the general elections that it was imperative to draw the attention of all the stakeholders on the importance of protecting and safeguarding the rights of the Nigerian citizens, both online and offline and ensuring that their data is safe and not be misused or tempered with.
He said the call was also necessary because there was genuine information indicating that government agencies were purchasing surveillance systems to track and monitor people, most especially activists, journalists, opponents and those they consider threat to their interests.
He said,”I would like to on behalf of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) welcome you to this urgent and important press conference being organized to draw the attention of the Nigerian agencies, especially the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, National Human Rights Commission and all the security agencies in the country to ensure the rights of the citizens both online and offline are being protected during and after the 2023 general elections.
“It is good to know that the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms has clearly spelled out that the freedom and privacy of individual online is of upmost importance and must be protected. These rights correspond to the fundamental rights provided in the Declaration on Human Rights as Freedom of Expression, Right to Information, Freedom of Assembly and Association as well as the right to personal privacy and dignity. The UN has recognized the right to Internet as fourth generation rights.
“The right to Internet as means to access these offline rights has at its core the issues of Privacy and Personal Data Protection. Any breach of the above is a negation to Nigerian commitment to Human Rights as well as other international covenants on human rights, including the African Charter and Peoples and Human Rights.
“You will remember that in the month of January, we held similar press conference were we drew the attention of Nigerian Police Force against the arbitrary arrest of citizens on the order of some overzealous politicians who misused their offices to trample on the fundamental human rights of the citizens. It is a well-known fact that criticism is part and parcel of any democracy and it is one of the cardinal pillars through which democracy is being build, but governments in Nigeria on many occasions, have displayed arrogance, impunity and lack of tolerance where at any slight instance they have ordered the arrest of the citizens for excising their fundamental human right of expressing their opinions.
“This month’s press conference is necessary at this time as we are fast approaching the 2023 Nigerian General Elections. It is imperative for us as an organization. working on the area of upholding electoral integrity, human rights and digital rights in Nigeria, to draw the attention of all the stakeholders, especially security agencies and those who have citizens’ data in their custody, on the importance of protecting and safeguarding the rights of the Nigerian citizens, both online and offline and ensuring that their data is safe and not be misused or tempered with.
“This call is necessary because there is genuine information indicating that government agencies have/are purchasing surveillance systems to track and monitor people, most especially activists, journalists, opponents and those they consider threat to their interests. As Civil Society actors we consider this as dangerous and threat to not only the fundamental human rights of the citizens but to our democracy as this exposes citizens to privacy abuse.”
Sabo said it was important to emphasize the need for respecting the privacy of individuals and ensuring that their data are being kept in a safer place and not allow third person to have access to them.
He recalled that in the previous years, they read how elections in other countries had been compromised.
“For example, there is still ongoing debate on how the 2016 United States of America presidential election was tampered with when wrong people have access to the data of American’s people.
“Also, in 2010 we have read how Global Science Research company collected the data of millions of Facebook users and sold it to a British Consulting Firm called Cambridge Analytica and used it for political advertising and later on used the data to provide assistance to Senator Ted Cruz and Donald Trump elections all of the United States. This scandal was later known as “Cambridge Analytica Scandal”. Based on this note, we would like to call the attention of social media companies to be non-partisan and ensure upmost respect of people’s privacy and safety of their data.
“On this note we are calling on the following stakeholders to as a matter of public interest and upholding electoral integrity in the country to:
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the protection and confidentiality of the people’s mandate and not allow anybody to temper with it.
“The Nigeria Police Force to desist from being used by politicians to intimidate voters, journalists and election observers during the election
“Tech giant companies to ensure the protection and confidentiality of the people’s data so as not allow third parties to have access to it.
“The National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigeria Communications Commission, Nigeria Data Protection Bureau, National Identity Management Commission, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to not allow themselves to be used or transmit citizens data to a third person for any reason unless this request is by a competent court.
“The government to respect the citizens’ rights for association, assembly and speech online during this election.
“Also, we are calling on the security agency to ensure the protection of election infrastructure as well as telecommunication infrastructure in order to have smooth transmission of election results without any compromise in the country,” he said.
