Featured, Politics
…as CSO condemns weaponization of internet disruptions
By Victoria Frances
NIGERIANS have been experiencing a slowdown in the use of the internet as a result of the directive given last week Tuesday by the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, to the Ministry of Communication to slow down the infrastructure during the protests.
Realnews gathered that the Ministry of Communication in turn directed the Nigerian Communications Communication, NCC, on Thursday last week in Abuja, to tell network providers to slow down their operations in the interest of national security. Obeying the directive from the NCC, telecom companies like MTN shut down the phone lines of subscribers who have not linked their telephone line numbers to their national identification number, NIN. Immediately this action was taken, many Nigerians last weekend were unable to make calls and many people besieged the MTN offices nationwide when their phone lines were temporarily deactivated. Some of the property of the telecom companies were destroyed in the process. As at press time despite attempts, the telephone numbers of communication officials of the affected companies could not be reached for their comments.
But the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in a statement by Reuben Muoka, Monday, July 29, acknowledged that “over the weekend many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines because of the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs). This meant that their numbers were blocked by their telecom service providers in keeping with the laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.
According to the statement, “Telecoms consumers and the public will recall the compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM which began in December 2020 when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.
Since December 2023, the NCC has reviewed the deadline a few times; April 15, 2024, was set as the deadline for the full network barring subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details. This deadline was then reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines are yet to be linked with verified NINs.
It stated that the objectives of this exercise by the federal government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate. The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities while also providing a critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry.
It added: “Consumer is our priority. Therefore, considering the challenges the
blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend given the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.”
However, despite the NCC’s statement, internet services have been slowed down since the protest started on August 1. This has added to the angst of Nigerians who are out in the streets protesting the hunger in the land under the umbrella of #endbadgovernance. Many websites are not opening and some IP address are malfunctioning. The disruptions have affected the websites which have failed to open on different IP addresses in the country, Realnews investigation reveals.
Unfortunately, s
ome of the telecom infrastructure provided by the government were attacked as the peaceful protest turned violent in some Northern States of Nigeria including Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Benue.
Reacting,
Bosun Tijani, minister for Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, expressed shock over the attack and looting at the Digital Innovation Park, an initiative of the NCC in Kano State. In his verified social media account, Tijani expressed sadness that the “Digital Innovation Park to be inaugurated next week to support our technical talent accelerator (3MTT) has been set ablaze and looted by protesters.”
It was reported by ConsumerConnect that Salma Dogo, Kano State commissioner of police, in a telephone interview, Thursday, said that the protesters set ablaze the generator house, vandalised the DIP office complex, and looted several digital equipment and other property. Besides the NCC’s ICT Centre, the protest also extended to parts of the Audu Bako Secretariat, including the state high courts, which the protesters looted and set ablaze supermarkets and mosques in Kano City.
This notwithstanding, the coalition of civil society associations, CSO, in Nigeria has condemned the internet disruptions, amidst the ongoing 10-day protest by Nigerians against bad governance.
A statement signed by 36 CSOs and made available to Realnews on August 2, in the strongest terms possible, condemned “the intentional disruption of access to the internet in Nigeria following protests that erupted in several states across the country on the 1st of August, 2024. This action constitutes an unacceptable breach of established norms and standards under regional and international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a State party and must be halted forthwith.”
The CSOs statement was copied to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
Part of the statement reads: “A joint reading of investigative reports by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism fij.ng, Peoples Gazette, and individual measurements by netizens using internet measurement tools have revealed throttling of internet speed nationwide, aimed at slowing down information dissemination.
“The weaponization of Internet disruptions and blocking or shutdowns during political unrest only exacerbates the underlying concerns of citizens. These shutdowns go against Chapter four of Nigeria’s Constitution that assures its citizens of their rights to freedom of conscience, expression, assembly and association.
“Article 9(1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights guarantees access to information as the right to receive information, a principle also upheld by Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Furthermore, disruptions create significant obstacles that damage free flow of information, which may in turn erode trust and increase the likelihood of hostilities and violence. Shutdowns also disrupt financial transactions, commerce, industry, labour markets and essential service delivery platforms. The government must note that the majority of its citizens are currently at home and need digital platforms to work and communicate. Disruptions such as this can lead to further apprehension and heating up of the polity.
“In a suit filed to challenge the Twitter ban by the Nigerian government in June 2021, the ECOWAS Court declared that Nigeria’s seven-month Twitter ban was unlawful. The Court held that it violated the freedom of expression of people in Nigeria and required the government to take steps to ensure it does not repeat similar acts of censorship in the future.
“As spelt out by Principle 37 of the Declaration of Principles On Freedom Of Expression And Access To Information In Africa, states must facilitate the rights to freedom of expression and access to information online and the means necessary to exercise these rights. They must also recognize that universal, equitable, affordable and meaningful access to the internet is necessary for the realisation of freedom of expression, access to information and the exercise of other human rights. Further to this Principle 38(2) provides that “States shall not engage in or condone any disruption of access to the internet and other digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.” The government also failed to acknowledge or provide an explanation for the measures, including their legal basis and underlying grounds.
“Furthermore, the Coalition calls on the government of Nigeria to adhere to the objective of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance under Article 2(10) to promote the establishment of necessary conditions to foster citizen participation, transparency, access to information, freedom of the press and accountability in the management of public affairs. An open internet will ensure this compliance and the promotion of human rights under Article 4 of the Charter.
“At uncertain times such as this, it is important to keep all communication channels open without disrupting and impacting quality of access. This is necessary to ensure citizens are able to communicate seamlessly and access accurate information about the state of things.
“We call on relevant agencies of the government to respect citizens’ rights and immediately cease further disruptions of network services and attempts at future network shutdowns.
The statement was signed by Accountability Lab Nigeria, Africa Cybersecurity Alliance, Africa Media and Information Technology Initiative (AfriMITI), African Academic Network on Internet Policy (AANOIP.ORG), African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Afroleadership Cameroon, BONews Service, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, Bridges and Hands Foundation and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).
The signatories included the Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO Ethiopia); Digicivic Initiative; Digital Grassroots (DIGRA); E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA); Equip Africa Integrated Development Initiative; FactCheck Africa Initiative; Farnnel Women Foundation; Global Rights; Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria; Institutional and Sustainable Development Foundation (ISDF); Jonction, Senegal; KnowledgeHouseAfrica (KHA); Media and Information Literacy & Intercultural Dialogue Foundation (MILID); Media Career Development Network; Media Rights Agenda (MRA); National Roundtable on Business and Human Rights Paradigm Initiative; Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC); TechHerNG; Techsocietal; The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought; and The African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA).
The others are Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative; West Africa ICT Action Network; West African Digital Rights Defenders coalition and World Impact Development Foundation (WIDEF).
A.I
Aug. 2, 2024
Tags: MTN NCC Reuben Muoka telecom companies Victoria Frances
