Osun govt moves against cyber crimes, cyber bullying, fake news

Worried by a pervasive fake news operation in the State, the Osun State Government has set up a Cyber Crime Action Committee to give effect to relevant provisions of the law with respect to cyber crimes, cyber bullying as well as online false news.

The State Government, in a press statement signed by Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information, stated that the step became necessary to sanitize the governance space and ensure that politicking and governance take place under an atmosphere of responsibility, decency and honesty.

Alimi posited that the increasing wave of fake news negatively affects both the Government and the opposition and that it is high time all operators were brought within the compass of the law in the exercise of their rights as guaranteed by Nigerian Constitution.

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He said the Committee domiciled at the Ministry of Justice has as members journalists and legal practitioners, saying their mandate is to ensure that fake news are nipped in the bud, no matter who the perpetrators are.

The Commissioner stressed that the Committee is to apply relevant sections of the Cybercrime Act of 2015 as operational clauses to ensure all stakeholders operate within the law in the exercise and enjoyment of their fundamental human rights.

“Section 24 (1) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015 reads: “A person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes any such message or matter to be sent, or he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7, 000, 000.00 or imprisonment for a term, not more than three years or both”

Alimi noted that the Committee would host its maiden action meeting on Monday even as he affirmed the commitment of Governor Ademola Adeleke to delivery of good governance, due process, rule of law, and fear of God.