Stakeholders Call for Immediate Passage Of Digital Rights And Freedom Bill

Stakeholders from various platforms on the aegis of the Paradigm Initiative Nigeria has called for the immediate passage of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.The Bill which has passed second reading seeks to guarantee that the rights that apply off line also applies in the digital real Speaking at a stakeholders roundtable on the Bill in Abuja on Thursday, Gbenga Sesan said the Bill promotes freedom of expression, assembly and association online, guarantees the fundamental privacy rights of citizens and define the l framework regarding surveillance and seeks to protect the data of every Nigerian citizen. He said,

 “The Bill will not only bridge the lack in the legal framework of the Nigerian digital future plans but will also be a tool for the education of the masses,law enforcement as well as the judiciary. “The need for such a Bill of rights has become increasingly imperative considering the current global debate on Internet governance and policies in light of actions by state and non-state parties that threaten the rights and freedom of Internet users in Nigeria ”Two cases in point being the incessant arrest of bloggers in Nigeria and lack of regulatory frameworks guarding the untamed bio metric data mining in Nigeria.As at the last count 7 bloggers have either been arrested or detained in the last one or two years.