Dino Melaye:Em...Em... Sorry Sir Did You Mean CyberStalling Or CyberStalking? No Law On CyberStalling Sir.

It has gotten round the internet that Dino Melaye has vowed to make the publisher of online news website, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, go to jail following reports of his alleged incomplete first degree programme at the Ahmadu Bello University ABU. Dino has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, alleging that Sahara Reports is ''Cyberstalling'' him. The section he quoted in his petition has nothing to do with cyberstalling and Nigerians are confused. 

Maybe he may need to fire his typist or whoever drafted that as it holds no water. No crime as cyberstalling in section 24 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention ETC) Act 2015. I do not know if the IGP would react to this... So sorry sir. 

For the rest of Nigerians, here's the true position of the law.

Under the Nigerian Cyber Crime Prohibition Act, 2015, Section 24 states that:

“Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that:

Is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or mincing character or causes any such message or matter to be so sent; or

he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent, commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.

Most users of the social media today have become victims and targets of these assailants. This act can be carried out by strangers or persons who are known to the targets. Either way, some degree of familiarity must have been existing or exists between the bully and his victim.

Before you accept anyone on social media, you can visit his timeline on Facebook as every detail of activity he engages in, is posted online. Many users of the social media often reveal personal details of their lives without ensuring the necessary security controls and privacy settings available on these platforms. This have often resulted in the approval of strangers as friends, which unwittingly gives cyber stalkers access to individuals’ privacy.

Some form of cyber stalking activities which is usually carried out by assailants on social media includes:

Sexual Harassment – This is the most common type of harassment and stalking online. Online sexual harassment makes it very easy for the stalker to be anonymous. This action may or may not be carried out by someone who knows the victim. Often the online harasser has no fear of physical retaliation (slap in the face) and does not have to leave the comfort of his home to find, pursue and harass targets. 

Love Obsession – Love obsession stalkers often believe that the target of their desires is really in love with them, which means they cannot understand the word ‘NO’. A love obsession can start from an online romance, where one person then halts the romance, and the rejected lover cannot accept the end of the relationship. Hate vendettas may begin with an argument or disagreement that escalates out of control. A vendetta may also be waged against someone because of their beliefs.

Power Trips/Ego Trips – The victim is usually selected as a random target by someone they do not know. The motivation of the harassers is to show off their skills to themselves and their friends. They do not have a personal grudge against the victim – they are using the victim to demonstrate their power among their own group.

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