On Tuesday, lawmakers ordered the Nigerian Communications Commission, the telecom regulator, to block access to pornographic websites and impose sanctions on internet service providers that do not comply. The resolution followed a motion titled “Need to Block Internet Websites Hosting Pornographic Content and Sanction Defaulting Internet Service Providers,” which was sponsored by an APC lawmaker representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency, Katsina State, Dalhatu Tafoki.
sponsored by Dalhatu Tafoki, an APC politician who represents the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency in Katsina State.
The senator emphasized that several nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East have passed legislation prohibiting access to internet pornography, arguing that it is detrimental to marriages, individual psychology, and society values.
“I would like to propose a motion to ban websites that post pornographic material and to penalize the internet service providers who do so,” he stated. The House observes that the issue of cyberpornography is rapidly spreading throughout the world and that no significant action has been done to stop it.
Nigeria is a very devout nation, and all of the main religions there prohibit any kind of nudity or profanity.
Additionally, take note that laws prohibiting pornography in their territories have been approved by nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Prominent sociologists and psychologists from all over the world have warned that producing ponographic material has negative psychological and sociological repercussions.
“Promoting adultery, prostitution, and other promiscuous behaviors can have immediate negative effects, such as addiction, escalation, desensitization, and a shift in one’s attitude toward oneself and one’s family.”
In the end, the motion was approved despite early resistance throughout the debate. In response, Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, a telecom company, criticized lawmakers for what he called misguided goals.
It’s concerning how preoccupied our National Assembly is with pornography and everything else besides sound government!
“This directive raises more questions than its purported attempt to solve a problem, even though it seems to make sense on the surface because it builds on the problematic Section 24 of Nigeria’s notorious cybercrime law,” he added.
Sesan cautioned that previous instances of such orders had resulted in the unwarranted blocking of respectable media websites.
Citing worries about regulatory overreach, he stated, “In October 2017, the NCC shut down a media website, Naij.com, based on the directive of the Office of the National Security Adviser under the guise of restricting access to ‘illegal,’ pro-Biafra websites.”
Instead than concentrating on internet restriction, he urged policymakers to address more urgent digital concerns.
“There are more pressing issues in Nigeria, such as those covered by the cybercrime law, which Hon. Tafoki may have just learned about. It is hoped that he will soon find the parts that address cyberterrorism, cyberfraud, and tampering with critical infrastructure so he can use his legislative stick where it is most needed.”
Due to the failure of attempts to obtain opinions, the NCC has not yet released a statement on the subject.
