Federal Government has officially enacted the Cybercrimes Bill into law, meaning all provisions contained in the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) acts are now fully enforceable and binding across the country.
Everyone—especially online users, content creators, and administrators of digital platforms or social media groups—must take note of the following key provisions:
Key Offenses Under the Cybercrimes Act:
* Unauthorized Access to Devices – Section 3:
Gaining access to someone else’s phone, computer, or digital device without their permission is a criminal offense.
* Punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment.
*Tampering with Data – Section 4:
Modifying, deleting, obstructing, or interfering with another person’s digital data without lawful authority is illegal.
* Punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment.
* Disclosure of Critical Information – Section 5:
Sharing classified, sensitive, or “critical information infrastructure” with unauthorized persons is a serious offense.
* Punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment.
*Recording Private Conversations – Section 10:
Recording private discussions without proper authorization, even if you are a participant, violates privacy laws.
* Punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment.
* Publishing False or Misleading Information – Section 19:
Spreading fake news or publishing content that is deliberately misleading or deceptive is a criminal act.
*Punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment.
*Online Harassment and Abuse – Section 22:
Posting content that is rude, vulgar, offensive, or indecent, especially with the intent to embarrass or humiliate others, is an offense.
*Punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment.
*Inciting Ethnic Hatred or Division – Section 24:
Attempting to provoke ethnic, religious, or tribal hatred through online or offline statements amounts to domestic terrorism.
*Punishable by life imprisonment.
*If you are an Administrator of a WhatsApp Group, Facebook Page, Telegram Channel, or Any Other Online Community
*You can be held liable for the content shared by members if you knowingly allow illegal content to be posted or fail to moderate appropriately. As such, always monitor your groups, enforce community guidelines, and avoid circulating unverified or inflammatory content.
