By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to use his experience as a lawyer and his position as the nation’s chief law officer to push for the review of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act.
The group, while congratulating Fagbemi on 30 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the provision could be used to intimidate journalists and undermine freedom of expression and press freedom.
In a statement issued on Saturday, 12th September 2026, and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA praised Fagbemi for what it described as his resilience, hard work, candour and professional excellence throughout his three decades at the Inner Bar.
The rights group noted that Fagbemi brought extensive courtroom experience to the office of Attorney-General of the Federation, having practised as a litigation lawyer and handled numerous cases before his appointment.
HURIWA also commended his continued engagement with major legal and economic issues, particularly his recent position on reforms to the international Investor-State Dispute Settlement system.
The group recalled Fagbemi’s warning over the controversial award in the Process and Industrial Developments Ltd. case, which involved compound interest and billions of dollars, saying enforcement could have placed a severe burden on Nigeria’s economy.
HURIWA said it supported the minister’s call for greater transparency, fairness and predictability in international arbitration, especially in cases involving the economic interests of developing countries and their taxpayers.
However, the group said Fagbemi should bring the same determination to protecting constitutional rights, particularly freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
It therefore called for Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act to be removed or fundamentally amended, describing the provision as “obnoxious, toxic and dangerous” to press freedom.
HURIWA argued that the section could provide an avenue for powerful individuals to allegedly use law enforcement agencies to harass or silence journalists carrying out legitimate investigative reporting.
The association further expressed concern about what it described as instances in which wealthy and politically connected individuals allegedly deploy police operatives against journalists investigating their activities or reporting suspected wrongdoing.
“Investigative journalism is not a crime,” HURIWA said, insisting that journalists should not be punished simply because their findings are uncomfortable for powerful individuals.
The group argued that Nigeria cannot claim to be strengthening the rule of law while retaining provisions that could be exploited to suppress legitimate criticism, investigative journalism and public-interest reporting.
HURIWA urged Fagbemi, as the nation’s chief law officer and an experienced courtroom lawyer, to champion a review of Section 24 and ensure that Nigeria’s cybercrime laws are consistent with the Constitution and democratic principles.
The association again congratulated Fagbemi on his 30 years at the Inner Bar and urged him to continue using his legal experience to strengthen justice, constitutional governance, human rights and the rule of law.
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