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The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has warned state governments in Nigeria to stop arresting and harassing citizens for expressing their opinions online.
According to the organisation, the practice is a growing threat to democracy and human rights.
CITAD gave the warning on Friday during a press conference on the state of digital rights observance at state and local government levels in Nigeria.
Speaking at the briefing, Ali Sabo, the Digital Rights Lead, said Nigeria’s federal system places responsibility on federal, state and local governments to protect citizens’ rights, including digital rights.
Although Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are not clearly mentioned in the 1999 Constitution, the organisation noted that digital tools now play a major role in governance, education, health, business and civic participation.
“Digital technologies now underpin many areas of life that fall under the concurrent legislative list. This means state governments have a responsibility not just to use ICTs, but also to protect the digital rights of citizens,” the lead said.
However, the organisation said this responsibility is being widely ignored at the state and local government levels.
According to CITAD’s newly developed Policy Brief on the State of Digital Rights Observance at the State Level, there is a disturbing rise in cases where citizens are arrested, detained or intimidated for comments made on social media.
Over the past six months, CITAD said it has handled several digital rights cases in Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Katsina and Kwara States.
Sabo cited specific examples to support its claims. On 10 November, a resident of Roni Local Government Area in Jigawa State, Comrade Abiyo Roni, was arrested after criticising his local government chairman over a youth empowerment programme on social media.
In Kwara State, a blogger, Ajala Adeshina Shuaib, was arrested and detained following allegations of defamation after he criticised a senator online.
In Kano State, CITAD said it recorded similar cases involving Murtala Garba Doka, Shamsu Safiyanu Lambu, and Zakariyya Kabeer Gwagwarwa, a serving corps member who was arrested on the order of a political office holder.
“These are not isolated cases. They show a growing culture of intolerance to criticism, abuse of power, and the use of law enforcement agencies to silence dissent, especially at the grassroots,” he said.
The Digital lead, beyond government actions also raised concern about digital rights abuses among private individuals, often caused by poor understanding of privacy and consent.
He recalled a case involving a minor whose video was recorded without consent at a family event and shared widely on social media, leading to ridicule, emotional trauma and eventual withdrawal from school.
In another case in Kano, a woman discovered that her image had been used without her consent in an advertisement by a textile merchant.
Although the matter was settled out of court, CITAD said it reflects widespread ignorance about digital privacy rights.
CITAD expressed deeper concern over cases involving women and girls, especially online harassment, privacy violations and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
It also noted that in the past two years, several young women have lost their lives following interactions that started on social media.
Despite the seriousness of these cases, CITAD said many authorities do not recognise them as digital rights violations. The organisation added that redress mechanisms are weak, digital rights awareness is low, and many judges, lawyers and law enforcement officers lack proper training to handle such cases.
“Most capacity-building efforts are concentrated in Abuja and Lagos, leaving state and local actors poorly equipped to investigate, prosecute or adjudicate digital rights cases,” Sabo said.
The organisation stressed that state governments must take responsibility.
He noted that ICTs should not be used only for revenue generation or surveillance.
“We therefore call for urgent action across three policy layers: first, the domestication of existing federal digital rights and data protection policies; second, the development of state-level digital rights frameworks, including on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence; and third, the harmonisation of existing laws to prevent conflicts with contemporary digital rights standards.
“Specifically, we call on state governments to stop arresting citizens for expressing opinions online; to invest in training judges, lawyers, and police officers on digital rights laws; and to update state regulations in line with global best practices.
“We urge law enforcement agencies to comply with digital rights standards in their operations and to respect the Nigeria Data Protection Act when handling personal data,” he said.
Nigeria states must stop arresting citizens for online opinions – CITAD
