The PUNCH studies thst the Socio-Financial Rights and Accountability Venture (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make use of his "good offices and leadership position to urgently review and rescind your reported approval for security agencies to access people's personal details via NIN-SIM linkage without due process of law."
SERAP can also be urging the president to "send executive bills to the National Assembly to repeal and reform all laws, which are inconsistent and incompatible with Nigerians' rights to privacy, dignity and liberty."
SERAP's letter adopted studies that some safety businesses have obtained presidential approval to entry individuals's private particulars through the database of the Nationwide Id Administration Fee in the midst of finishing up their duties.
Within the letter dated February 5, 2022 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation stated, "If your reported approval is not rescinded, millions of law-abiding Nigerians may feel that their private lives are the subject of constant surveillance."
"The reported approval to allow security agencies to access people's personal details via NIN-SIM linkage without due process of law directly interferes with the privacy, dignity and liberty of individuals."SERAP additionally stated, "Interference with an individual's right to privacy is not permissible if it is unlawful or arbitrary."
"In relation to the requirement of legality, any limitation have to be expressly, exhaustively, exactly, and clearly supplied for in a legislation within the formal and materials sense. It isn't sufficient that the restrictions be formally permitted by the president or by some other competent physique: they have to even be sufficiently clear, accessible and predictable. "We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest."The letter was copied to Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, Lawyer Normal of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Mr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Financial system.
