A coalition of civil society organisations under the banners of Take It Back (TIB) and the Talakawa Parliament (TP) staged a peaceful protest at the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), calling for the immediate repeal of Nigeria’s Cyber Crime Act. The groups allege that the law is being used as a tool to stifle freedom of expression and silence dissent.
The protesters, who gathered in large numbers, carried banners bearing messages such as: “Repeal/revoke the Cyber Crime Act, threatening the voice of the people and end bad governance in Nigeria, declare state of emergency on security and improve the economy.”
Addressing journalists during the demonstration, Comrade Afiz Lawal of the Take It Back movement said the Cyber Crime Act is a threat to democracy and civic participation.
“The Cyber Crime Act is meant to muzzle the mouth of Nigerians and forbid them from speaking truth to power,” he stated. “There are far more pressing issues in this country that deserve immediate attention – such as economic hardship and growing insecurity – but instead, the government is preoccupied with clamping down on online expression.”
Lawal called on the federal government to redirect its focus towards policies that would directly benefit the Nigerian people rather than implementing measures that he believes are designed to intimidate and silence them.
In a similar vein, the leader of the Talakawa Parliament, Comrade Kola Edokpayi, lamented the worsening economic conditions in the country, claiming that some Nigerians have been reduced to scavenging for food.
“People are now eating from the dustbin. The government should be ashamed,” Edokpayi said. “The Cyber Crime Act is just a cover to repress the people’s constitutional right to freedom of speech.”
He described the country’s trajectory as regressive, blaming the situation on what he termed “anti-people policies.” Edokpayi urged the federal government to fulfil its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of its citizens, rather than pursuing what he called a “campaign of intimidation.”
The protest adds to growing criticism of the Cyber Crime Act, which some legal and human rights experts argue contains vague provisions that can be weaponised against journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens.
While the government has previously defended the law as necessary for national security and curbing online fraud, opponents contend that its application has disproportionately targeted critics and whistleblowers.
The demonstrators concluded their rally with a call for urgent reforms in governance, increased investment in the economy and security, and a recommitment to democratic values and human rights.
So far, no official response has been issued by the Edo State House of Assembly or the federal government regarding the protest or the demands presented by the coalition.
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