By JACINTA NWACHUKWU

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have called for a review of the Amended Cybercrime Act, allegedly being used to harass and gag journalists

The duo made the call on Thursday in Abuja, at the PPDC media convening tagged, “Exploring Critical Issues and Fostering Collaborations in the Media Landscape”.

The Centre and NUJ called on the Federal Government to engage stakeholders for discourse on the amended Act in order to forestall the recurrent harassment of Journalists and the restrictions from doing their statutory job.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer, PPDC, Jubril Shittu, underscored the relevance of journalists in the protection of rights of common citizens, dissemination of information and as government watchdog.

Represented by Lucy Abagi, PPDC Director of partnership and Innovation, Shittu said the journalists should be protected and unhindered in the discharge of their duties.

“Journalists are on the field daily and they are the first people to get hold of information, and it is in our place to protect the media.

“If there are laws inhibiting press freedom, fighting against the voice of the media which is the voice of the common man, such must be addressed.

“The example of such law is the Cybercrime Act which imposes as much as N7 million fine on any publication capable of breaching the nation’s peace.

“However, there are no clauses to what can be published that can constitute the breach the nation’s peace.

“My appeal is that government should take a step to look at this Cybercrime Act.

“Of course, it is needed, but then, it must not be used to stop the media from doing their job,” the PPDC boss said

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PPDC is a non-governmental organisation concerned with transparent and accountable government and increased citizens’ participation in governance.

Similarly, the NUJ Chairman, FCT Correspondents Chapel, Jide Oyekunle, said the cybercrime Act has been a tool in the hands of the security operatives against journalists.

Oyekunle said that the amended Act is very porous, hence, the security personnel are now using it to hunt journalists and suppress press freedom.

He explained that the cyber crime amended Act did not specify the type of publications that can breach public peace and break down law and order in the country.

“If you look at the cybercrime Act it is very cancerous to the democratic rights of Nigerians. It has become a tool in the hands of security agents,” he reiterated.

According to him, media is one of the pillars of democracy and as a result should not be gagged in any way.(NAN)

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