Yesterday, a bill that has to intercept personal
communications of Nigerians sponsored by the Federal Government passed
second reading at the House of Representatives.
President Goodluck Jonathan had forwarded the bill to the lower chamber for consideration in January last year. However, it came up for debate only yesterday.
The bill essentially empowers security agents to intercept and record electronic communications between individuals and seize usage data from internet service providers and mobile networks. Besides, it asks telecommunication companies to conduct surveillance on individuals and release user data to authorities.
Based on the bill, “interception” includes “listening to or recording of communication data of a computer or acquiring the substance, meaning or purport of such and any acts capable of blocking or preventing any of these functions.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had forwarded the bill to the lower chamber for consideration in January last year. However, it came up for debate only yesterday.
The bill essentially empowers security agents to intercept and record electronic communications between individuals and seize usage data from internet service providers and mobile networks. Besides, it asks telecommunication companies to conduct surveillance on individuals and release user data to authorities.
Based on the bill, “interception” includes “listening to or recording of communication data of a computer or acquiring the substance, meaning or purport of such and any acts capable of blocking or preventing any of these functions.”