LAGOS SEPTEMBER 4TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A crackdown on bloggers and online publishers has started in Nigeria, with a second major industry player arrested and incarcerated for allegedly injuring the reputation of a bank chief in an online publication.
Chris Kehinde Nwandu, owner of the popular online news medium, CKN Nigeria, was arrested by the police on September 1 – a day before Seun Oloketuyi of Naijahottestgist was granted bail by a Lagos court, which remanded him in Ikoyi Prisons for publishing a story alleging infidelity by Fidelity Bank MD, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo. Mr. Nwandu is reportedly being remanded in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, in connection with the same story.
The CyberCrime Act under which the two online personalities are being charged was signed into law by former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, shortly before he left office on May 29, after being defeated in the March 28 presidential ballot.
It appears that the new administration headed by retired general Muhammadu Buhari, whose presidential election victory is largely credited to strong social media support, has chosen to implement the controversial law.
Mr. Okonkwo is the first person known to have taken advantage of the law which prescribes up to seven years in jail for those who contravene it.