The country’s current interception and surveillance laws have been warned by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to be carefully scrutinized by lawmakers to prevent its use against citizens and government critics.
SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare expressed the worry in an appearance on Arise Television on Monday, urging more openness and public involvement in the creation of such rules.
According to reports, Oluwadare’s remarks came after former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai made accusations that he and another person had eavesdropped on a call involving National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu.
The breadth and supervision of the monitoring capabilities granted to security agencies have since been the subject of increased discussion in response to the former governor’s assertions.
“Public Hearings Should Be Held for Regulations”
In response to the dispute, Oluwadare emphasized that laws with such broad ramifications need to go through a rigorous legislative procedure that includes public hearings.
Given the weight and authority that this type of regulation possesses, it ought to undergo both a public hearing and the legislative process. Major rights of Nigerians will be taken away by these restrictions,” he stated.
Because of the ambiguous language, lack of protections for civil liberties, and possibility for misuse, he contended that the current framework for interception might not be required in its current form.
Concerns regarding the use of interception powers by security agencies were voiced by the deputy director of SERAP.
He expressed fears that these powers could be used against citizens or government critics because it is unclear how organizations like the DSS or the Office of the National Security Adviser use them.
To guarantee that they balance civil freedoms and national security, he said, laws of this kind, particularly those that have the potential to affect basic human rights, must be closely examined by lawmakers.
According to Oluwadare, his stance is in favor of an interception framework that conforms to global best practices rather than completely rejecting one.
“This position is not against an interception framework in general, but rather that it should be in line with other jurisdictions’ models and include strong protections as intended by current legal frameworks,” he clarified.
Public involvement would improve the efficacy of such legislation in tackling insecurity without jeopardizing democratic freedoms, Oluwadare continued. It would also increase accountability.
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