By Emmanuel Afonne
A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Spaces For Change (S4C), has raised concerns over increasing digital surveillance of journalists and civic actors ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
The concerns were raised in a report titled “Victims Speak: Techniques, Patterns and Impacts of Targeted Surveillance in Nigeria”, unveiled by Mrs Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Executive Director of S4C.
“Fear of surveillance is creating anxiety among journalists, activists and citizens ahead of the elections,” she said.
Ibezim-Ohaeri said many Nigerians were increasingly afraid to openly express political views or publicly support candidates because of fears of monitoring and intimidation.
According to her, shrinking civic space and rising digital surveillance could negatively affect democratic participation and electoral outcomes in 2027.
“This report was deliberately released ahead of the elections to encourage journalists and civic actors to continue speaking against abuses and injustice.
“We want civic actors and journalists not to be afraid to report issues affecting society because silence only emboldens perpetrators.
“Technology should be deployed responsibly, with full respect for privacy rights, civic freedoms and democratic participation,” Ibezim-Ohaeri said.
Mr Michael Itegbe, Technology Officer at S4C, said the report documented 18 cases involving journalists, activists and protest organisers subjected to unlawful surveillance.
Itegbe said findings showed surveillance technologies acquired for national security purposes were increasingly being diverted to monitor journalists and suppress dissent.
He identified spyware, GSM interception systems and social media monitoring tools as common technologies used against media practitioners and civic actors.
According to him, one journalist faced coordinated cyber attacks and legal threats after publishing a report considered critical of public officials.
“The victim experienced 17 cyber attacks within one day, while threatening calls revealed detailed knowledge of his movements and daily activities,” Itegbe said.
He added that the journalist was forced into hiding temporarily and communicated only through trusted intermediaries for safety reasons.
Itegbe said surveillance often intensified during election periods, with political interests using digital tools to monitor opponents and suppress critical reporting.
He warned that continuous monitoring and intimidation were encouraging fear, trauma and self-censorship among journalists and civil society organisations.
According to him, security agencies appeared to be enjoying extensive access to telecommunications networks without sufficient transparency or independent oversight.
He said S4C established the “Spyclog Lab” to provide legal, psychosocial and digital security support for journalists and activists facing surveillance threats.
Ms Judith Chiamaka, Digital Rights Programme Associate at S4C, said many journalists and civic actors lacked adequate knowledge about digital safety and privacy protection.
She explained that seized phones and compromised devices often became channels for spyware installation, account interception and monitoring of private communications.
Chiamaka said participants at the support programme were trained on secure communication practices, malware detection and strategies for countering unlawful surveillance.
She added that victims were also offered confidential counselling sessions to address trauma, fear and emotional distress caused by persistent monitoring.
Justice Nkem Izuakor, a retired Judge, called for improved human rights training for judges and judicial officers handling surveillance-related matters.
Izuakor urged courts to protect citizens’ constitutional rights by ensuring fair hearings and resisting abuse of legal processes against journalists and activists.
She also advocated speedy handling of cases involving unlawful surveillance and compensation for victims subjected to intimidation and rights violations.
The retired judge said strong institutions and rights-focused judicial interpretation remained essential to protecting press freedom and civic participation in Nigeria. (NAN)
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