I will be starting a business that involves a lot of covert surveillance using hidden video, audio and photographic devices as well as email and phone call snooping.

Are there any privacy laws in Nigeria that could adversely affect the business?

i think so.

Nigeria has many laws that are not respected or acted up. There's a loop hole to everything. You can always bribe the right persons

Privacy Laws Ke, all it takes to break even the strongest law is N50 bribe.
What an irony.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 is the major law in Nigeria. All other laws are subordinate to it. Section 37 states: "The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected".

I would advise that you hire a lawyer who would let you know about any loopholes, state laws, etc that govern what you want to do.

You can view/download the constitution here: http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm

Privacy laws? In which country?

naptu2:

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 is the major law in Nigeria. All other laws are subordinate to it. Section 37 states: "The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected".

I would advise that you hire a lawyer who would let you know about any loopholes, state laws, etc that govern what you want to do.

we have privacy laws it is a constitutional matter that bribe of N500000 may not take you out of the loop if someone makes you a case for testing the provision of the constitiution. It is unlawful to do business as PI in nigeria. Go meet your lawyer.

bakila:

we have privacy laws it is a constitutional matter that bribe of N500000 may not take you out of the loop if someone makes you a case for testing the provision of the constitiution. It is unlawful to do business as PI in nigeria. Go meet your lawyer.

Correct

Please kindly see an experienced lawyer because they is a law somewhere so you can take the right steps.

Fhemmmy:

Privacy law in NIgeria . . .  Lol

This is so un necessary.

That you are ignorant of the law is no excuse anywhere.

OP - find out from a well respected legal professional rather than taking these cynics here as a source.

Sometimes I wonder what is in the head of some people in here. That you bribe your way to get something doesnt mean there is no law forbidding that thing. Only fools will say there are no laws because you can offer bribe to break them. OP, dont think like some of the respondents here, they will soon land in soup one day, their bribes wont save them.

Ask a good lawyer

naptu2:

You can view/download the constitution here: http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm

This is Old constitution link.Give us Link to download the 1999 constitution as amended(2011)

werepeLeri:

This is so un necessary.

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Ignorant of the law is no excuse anywhere.[/font]

OP - find out from a well respected legal professional rather than taking these cynics here as a source.

Sometimes I wonder what is in the head of some people in here. That you bribe your way to get something doesnt mean there is no law forbidding that thing. Only fools will say there are no laws because you can offer bribe to break them. OP, dont think like some of the respondents here, they will soon land in soup one day, their bribes wont save them.

Ignorant of the law is no excuse anywhere.
Res ipsa loquitur

dont think like some of the respondents here
Good counsel

See your legal adviser for this.

Thanks all for your inputs especially naptu2.

For the legal minds will section 37 protect an individual from wrong doing eg taking bribe, cheating on wife/husband, if he/she is caught out by secret methods which he/she did not approve?

Your business and services might be of tremendous benefit to the EFCC. The presence or lack thereof of privacy laws not withstanding.

Why not contact them in Abuja, showcase some of your portfolio and services, then negotiate on becoming one of their major private sector partners in combating fraud, greed and the excesses of our political oligarchy. Very soon you will have office in all the 50 States (abi dem don add more States now?).

Nigeria may have its problems but that doesn't mean that it's a complete jungle where there are no laws. Don't be surprised, the problem with Nigeria is not really the absence of laws but their implementation. For example, do you know that all commercial buses should have their routes written on them so that the bus conductors don't have to shout? Do you know that it's illegal to drive a car with broken mirrors or faulty directional lights (trafficators) or a vehicle emitting so much smoke?

We inherited a robust legal system from the British and our lawmakers have actually been adding to, updating and customizing many but the problem, like I noted earlier, is implementation.

It's wrong for the nationals of this country to talk down to her without any iota of respect or regard. I have a whole lot of issues with Nigeria but common on, the people to fix the country are the citizens.

@OP, consult your lawyer before you make a foray into an unfamiliar turf as ignorance is not an excuse under the law.

I wish you well.

What we have in Nigeria is a right to dignity of Human person provided for in the Nigerian constitution 2010 as amended.
However, Nigeria doesnt have privacy law. What is the business all about in the first place? Trust it is not voyeurism?.

^^^^
That was a bad error above there. I meant to write right to privacy and not dignity of human persons. Section 37, 2010 constitutn.

firstly,is there any human rights law??

Inked_Nerd:


It is a jungle no matter what you or anyone says. When your common man is sentenced to death for stealing a fruit yet government officials go scot free for stealing public funds and money designated for the citizens of Nigeria, what do you call all that? When you have people taking the law into their own hands, what do you call that? When you have police officials abusing, targeting, and victimizing people, what do you call that? When people are not held accountable for their actions or never given the appropriate punishment for their actions, what do you call that? It's one thing to have a laws in places, it's another thing to actually enforce them and make sure that the appropriate steps are taken to make sure that these laws are abided. The duty of a government is to take care of its citizens, and when your government has failed to do that, essentially, they have failed it's people. Therefore, the people of Nigeria and any other nation have both the right and duty to speak up and demand change!!! You telling us what laws are in place makes absolutely no difference if those laws are circumvented by its citizens and those who are entrusted to enforce them.[size=12pt] People like you who sit around and say that it is wrong for citizens to talk down to their motherland without any iota of respect or regard are a big disgrace to humanity. You are not only an enabler but you're a contributing factor to why certain problems persist! I will admit, no government is perfect and not every law is ideal or functional to the situation or overall environment of its people, but that's not to say that you should just keep mum about the faultiness of the governmental structure. Even here in the US, there are various laws that are in place both on a national and local level that are just downright stüpid!

Human rights don't exist in Nigeria![/size]

Even all the above things you mentioned happen in your so called developed countries - Police victimisation is common in America, Britain etc - so, you can as well call those countries jungles, no matter what you or anyone else says. Are you saying politicians in America dont eat public funds and go scot free? Go to Britain and ask what the lawmakers did during the expenses scandal - I guess Britain is a a jungle then no matter what you or anyone else says?

There is no country where laws are not circumvented - show me that country- off course you will say, some countries punish those who circumvent the law while others like Nigeria dont, so whats the difference?

Thus, your assertion that Nigeria is a jungle is meaningless, irrational and outright nonsense.

And the bolded statement makes me laugh. So the person who sits down and talk crap against his or her country without offering any meaningful solution is what, a blessing to humanity? LOL. This is classic Saturday Night Joke on TV.

Inked_Nerd:


It is a jungle no matter what you or anyone says. When your common man is sentenced to death for stealing a fruit yet government officials go scot free for stealing public funds and money designated for the citizens of Nigeria, what do you call all that? When you have people taking the law into their own hands, what do you call that? When you have police officials abusing, targeting, and victimizing people, what do you call that? When people are not held accountable for their actions or never given the appropriate punishment for their actions, what do you call that? It's one thing to have a laws in places, it's another thing to actually enforce them and make sure that the appropriate steps are taken to make sure that these laws are abided. The duty of a government is to take care of its citizens, and when your government has failed to do that, essentially, they have failed it's people. Therefore, the people of Nigeria and any other nation have both the right and duty to speak up and demand change!!! You telling us what laws are in place makes absolutely no difference if those laws are circumvented by its citizens and those who are entrusted to enforce them. People like you who sit around and say that it is wrong for citizens to talk down to their motherland without any iota of respect or regard are a big disgrace to humanity. You are not only an enabler but you're a contributing factor to why certain problems persist! I will admit, no government is perfect and not every law is ideal or functional to the situation or overall environment of its people, but that's not to say that you should just keep mum about the faultiness of the governmental structure. Even here in the US, there are various laws that are in place both on a national and local level that are just downright stüpid!

Human rights don't exist in Nigeria!

You are angry or suffer diasporan mentality of thinking that all the bad news feed to him makes no iota of good available to him. The fruitseller has better access to the Appeal courts than in US. IFwhat you wrote is true the case is one that will make an average lawyer shine. If he is guilty he will not enjoy symphaty cos of his trade.
Check also news of damages awarded in nigerian Courts you will find many. One thing why polithifcians get away with a lot of corruption is out tribalism of your brother stole dont talk of that of mine eventhough non of the so called brothers enjoy the loot. What happened to Dick Cheny?
Stop NEOCOLOMENTALITY.

Human rights laws exist in Nigeria (that's why the policeman who shot and killed the Dawodu brother while trying to extort money from them was arrested, tried and hung).

There are many laws in Nigeria, but the major law is the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria 1999 (as amended). The rights of citizens are captured in the directive principles of state policy (chapter 2 of the constitution) and the fundamental rights (chapter 4). The directive principles are not justiceable, while the fundamental rights are justiceable.

The fundamental rights include:
Chapter 4
33.

Right to life.

34

Right to dignity of human persons.

35

Right to personal liberty.

36.

Right to fair hearing.

37

Right to private and family life.

38

Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion

39.

Right to freedom of expression and the press.

40

Right to peaceful assembly and association.

41

Right to freedom of movement.

42

Right to freedom from discrimination.

43

Right to acquire and own immovable property.

44

Compulsory acquisition of property.

45

Restriction on and derogation from fundamental human rights.

46

Special jurisdiction of High Court and Legal aid.

The directive principles of state policy include:

Chapter 2
13.

Fundamental obligations of the Government.

14

The Government and the people

15

Political objectives.

16.

Economic objectives.

17

Social objectives.

18

Educational objectives.

19.

Foreign policy objectives.

20.

Environmental objectives.

21.

Directive on Nigeria cultures

22.

Obligation of the mass media

23.

National ethics.

24.

Duties of the citizen.

You can view the constitution here

http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm

Or view the amended version here:

http://www.nassnig.org/nass2/legislation.php

Unfortunately, not many people are aware of their rights or take advantage of them. They usually believe that they would not get justice, so they don't bother trying. This plays into the hands of human rights violators who expect that the citizens will not know their rights or fight for their rights.

Other, more recent, cases that deal with these rights include;(1)the case of the woman who was beaten up by naval ratings. She sued the navy, asking the courts for the enforcement of her rights. She won the case and was awarded damages to the tune of millions of naira.

(2) The case of Baba Suwe who was detained by the NDLEA and suffered indignity at the hands of that agency. Suwe, through his lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, sued the NDLEA for breaching his rights to human dignity. He won the case and was awarded millions of naira.

@lepasharon
The constitution of Nigeria enshrines and protect the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. So, there is a Human right law as enshrined in the Constitution and the African Charter on Human & peoples Rights, which is also enforceable here in Nigeria.

In the famous case "General Sani Abacha and ors vs Chief Gani Fawehinmi", the Supreme Court held that the African Charter on Human and Peoples' rights is enforceable in Nigeria. Click this link for details of the case: http://www.nigeria-law.org/General%20Sanni%20Abacha%20&%20Ors%20%20V%20%20Chief%20Gani%20Fawehinmi.htm