Detention Of Seun Odunlami: Dele Atunbi’s Rejuvenation Campaign Council Calls For Cybercrime Act Review

…Campaign Council Urges Reforms To Protect Journalists

FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Rejuvenation Campaign Council, the campaign organization supporting Mr. Dele Atunbi for President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called for an urgent review of the Cybercrime Act of 2024.

The council argues that changes to the Act are essential to ensure journalists can fulfill their duty to inform, enlighten, and educate the public freely, in alignment with democratic values and transparency standards.

In a statement signed by Ado Adamu, Director General of the Rejuvenation Campaign Council and Vice Chairman of the Taraba State NUJ Council, the group praised the Ogun State Council of NUJ for its bold directive to members, urging them to close their accounts with Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTBank).

This directive was issued in protest of GTBank’s alleged involvement in recent actions against journalists.

The Rejuvenation Council also highlighted that Ogun NUJ’s decision follows the prolonged detention of union member Seun Odunlami and others, who have been held for over seven weeks in connection with an investigative report involving GTBank and its CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.

The Council’s call for Cybercrime Act reforms underscores its commitment to protecting journalists’ rights and press freedom.

This is just as the Rejuvenation Council enjoined members of the union in Ogun state to abide with the directive of the Ogun NUJ leadership as part of the needed solidarity, and oneness of our great union, stressing that “injustice to one is injustice to all”.

The Rejuvenation Council reiterates the commitment and determination of its presidential candidate; Dele Atunbi, towards ensuring the protection of the rights of journalists in Nigeria when he gets elected as the President of NUJ in the coming election.

A statement on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the Rejuvenation Council describes the long detention of Seun Odunlami and others as an abuse of their fundamental human rights, stressing that the Cybercrime Act of 2024 should be amended to prevent abuse as a tool for censorship and intimidation of journalists in the country.

“The Cybercrime Act 2024 has buoyed hopes for improved press freedom as the law encumbers journalists and put them at risk of arrest and unnecessary surveillance.

The Rejuvenation Council urges concern authorities to strictly uphold and respect the rights of citizens, especially journalists who are contributing immensely to the growth and development of the country.

The Council notes that journalists have recently been arrested under the Cybercrime Act in the course of their duties, thus, the need for a review, especially the sections that hindered press freedom.