The Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed that cyberstalking and cyberbullying are grave offences punishable under the country’s laws.
Speaking at a sensitisation programme in Akure on Wednesday, Ondo State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, condemned the rising misuse of social media platforms.
He noted that the amended Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2024 has expanded the scope of online offences while imposing stricter obligations on citizens.
“Cyberstalking is the repeated use of electronic communication technologies such as emails, social media, or text messages to harass, threaten, monitor or intimidate another person,” he said.
He added that cyberbullying, defined as the deliberate use of digital platforms to humiliate, threaten or cause psychological harm – particularly to children and young people – also falls under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and the Child Rights Act.
The police spokesperson noted that under the amended law, individuals and organisations are required to report cyberattacks, intrusions, or network disruptions within 72 hours, warning that failure to comply attracts fines of up to N2 million.
Other punishable offences, he said, include identity theft, phishing, child pornography, sending unsolicited indecent images, and promoting terrorism online.
“It is also a crime to incite the public against government or state institutions through false online messages,” Ayanlade added.
He urged Nigerians to exercise caution in their online engagements and to view cyber safety as part of their civic responsibility.
“Policing is not the work of the police alone. Citizens must rise to their responsibility, speak up against crime, and support lawful authority to build a safer society,” he said.
