Nigeria's Police, Secret Police Accused of Weaponizing Cybercrime Law Against Critics

A prominent Nigerian rights group has accused the nation's police and secret police of systematically using a cybercrime law to harass journalists and activists. The allegations, detailed in a new report, claim the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service (SSS) are the primary offenders. They are accused of unlawful arrests, malicious prosecutions, and other extrajudicial actions. The group states these agencies misuse the Cybercrime Act. They say the law is being twisted to suppress legitimate journalism and civil society work, not to fight crime. The report cites repeated cases where the broad powers granted by the cyber law are allegedly used to intimidate critics and silence dissent.