The House of Representatives has proposed heavy penalties for “Computer misuse and Cybercrimes,” with fines ranging from N5m to N25m for offenders.
Convicted persons will also serve jail terms ranging from two to 15 years.
Cybercrime is commonly known as Yahoo Yahoo in Nigeria.
The penalties are contained in amendments proposed to the Criminal Code and the Penal Code. The two bills have already passed second reading at the House and are scheduled for public hearing by the House Committee on Justice headed by Mr. Ali Ahmad.
For the Criminal Code, the amendment seeks to insert a new Chapter 56, dedicated to “Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Offences.”
Section 3 (1) provides that it is an offence to gain access to a computer system or network without authorisation. Offenders are “liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N10m or imprisonment for a term of five years or both.”
The fine can be up to N20m or 10-year imprisonment or both if the offence is “committed with the intent of obtaining computer data, securing access to any program, commercial or industrial secrets or confidential information.”
The section gives further explanations, “Any person, who commits an offence under this section, uses any device to avoid detection or otherwise prevent identification with the act or omission, commits an offence or facilitates the commission of such offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N20m or imprisonment of 10 years or to both.”
The amendment proposes a penalty of N15m or a prison term of eight years or both for any “unauthorised modification” of a computer program or data held in any computer or network.
Under Section 8 of the provisions, any act, deliberately intended to make a computer system or network to malfunction for criminal gains, is punishable with a fine of N15m or a jail term of 10 years.
The disclosure of password or access code to any computer or network without authorisation carries a jail term of two years or a fine of N5m or both.
However, the jail term can be as high as 15 years or a fine of N25m or both if the act results to a “substantial loss or damage.”
The proposals, which were obtained by Saturday PUNCH in Abuja, also provided various penalties for “identify theft and impersonation, child pornography and related Offences, cyber squatting, cyber terrorism, racist and xenophobic offences, interception of electronic communication, cyber stalking and cyber harassment.”
Cyber criminals are said to get away easily in Nigeria due to weak legal provisions to punish them.
Security agencies and anti-graft bodies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have frequently called for stiffer legal provisions to address the problem.

The two amendments were proposed by a member, Aisha Daniru-Ahmed.


This plainly shows the hypocrisy of those at the top. I mean their colleagues are looting and taking bribe, they still go to visit them in prison and support them so they get light sentences. Nigeria may really need a revolution to change it.

This plainly shows the hypocrisy of those at the top. I mean their colleagues are looting and taking bribe, they still go to visit them in prison and support them so they get light sentences. Nigeria may really need a revolution to change it.

Don't worry all dis senators cancer of the blood will finish them all. Their children will never do anything good with our money. They are all in US & UK sniffing cocaine and marijuana.

God will punish them, 25m and 15years in jail for ordinary yahoo boy that is strugling to survive the measery they put him, while them and their associate are getting 750 thansand without jail term for crime against Nigeria, Nigerians and Humanity worth 23billion each. I guess their own should be life inprisionment with payment of everything they have ever aquired to the govement coffer.

Good move.

What about you guys that rob the nation dry? I guess 50 to 100 years jail term?

Retards

val_dee: Good move.

What about you guys that rob the nation dry? I guess 50 to 100 years jail term?

Retards

Good question...

“Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Offences.”
Section 3 (1) provides that it is an offence to gain access to a computer system or network without authorisation. Offenders are “liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N10m or imprisonment for a term of five years or both.”
The fine can be up to N20m or 10-year imprisonment or both if the offence is “committed with the intent of obtaining computer data, securing access to any program, commercial or industrial secrets or confidential information.”
The section gives further explanations, “Any person, who commits an offence under this section, uses any device to avoid detection or otherwise prevent identification with the act or omission, commits an offence or facilitates the commission of such offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N20m or imprisonment of 10 years or to both.”
The amendment proposes a penalty of N15m or a prison term of eight years or both for any “unauthorised modification” of a computer program or data held in any computer or network.
Under Section 8 of the provisions, any act, deliberately intended to make a computer system or network to malfunction for criminal gains, is punishable with a fine of N15m or a jail term of 10 years.
The disclosure of[b] password or access code to any computer or network without authorisation[/b] carries a jail term of two years or a fine of N5m or both.
However, the jail term can be as high as 15 years or a fine of N25m or both if the act results to a “substantial loss or damage.”
The proposals, which were obtained by Saturday PUNCH in Abuja, also provided various penalties for “identify theft and impersonation, child Indecency and related Offences, cyber squatting, cyber terrorism, racist and xenophobic offences, interception of electronic communication, cyber stalking and cyber harassment.”

this is not about yahoo boys - this is about hackers

our national assembly doing what they do bes - acting in their own petty interests - the same way they are withholding sec budget, trying to place cbn under their control - this is not about yahoo boys but about punitive measures for those who dare to deface/hack govt websites

some of this stuff comes across as ridiculous

do i smell the long tentacles of the BSA, RIAA and co dropping a little something in the pockets of our senators?

oyb:

this is not about yahoo boys - this is about hackers

our national assembly doing what they do bes - acting in their own petty interests - the same way they are withholding sec budget, trying to place cbn under their control - this is not about yahoo boys but about punitive measures for those who dare to deface/hack govt websites

some of this stuff comes across as ridiculous

do i smell the long tentacles of the BSA, RIAA and co dropping a little something in the pockets of our senators?

Its a strong possibility

The issue of yahoo yahoo is bad anyway. But why i wont blame the guys is just that africans are now paying the whites back in there own coins. Before the africans become wise, we all heard how they enslaved our forefathers like Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowder, Olaundah Equianoh(Gustavo Vassa) and co. Check their museums, full of African artifacts. Are these not a form of yahoo?
They can only charge, fine and jail any yahoo guy that is not wise and stingy to bribe the police officers. Or are they not the same police and EFCC Officers?
People wey dey yahoo nigeria dey do law to fine and charge people wey dey yahoo foreigners. All na yahoo and deserve equall punishment.

oyb:

this is not about yahoo boys - this is about hackers

our national assembly doing what they do bes - acting in their own petty interests - the same way they are withholding sec budget, trying to place cbn under their control - this is not about yahoo boys but about punitive measures for those who dare to deface/hack govt websites

some of this stuff comes across as ridiculous

do i smell the long tentacles of the BSA, RIAA and co dropping a little something in the pockets of our senators?

BSA and RIAA indeed. You really think your lawmakers know those bodies exist?

Fo.olish illiterate law makers. Look at how vague the law is. " substantial loss" indeed. Lmaooo what constitutes "substantial loss" dem no fit talk. Smh

The way these cows ( along with their sheepish followers) are running the country, don't be surprised if another Rwanda happens in that country.