Barrister Ekpo Nta, Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related offences Commission, ICPC has said that social media activists and bloggers found guilty of malicious petitions and mudslinging will be prosecuted because they are not ‘protected by law.’
Barrister Nta said this while speaking with reporters in Abuja at the side lines of the capacity building workshop organised by Anti-Corruption Academy for members of States Houses of Assembly from the North-Central geopolitical zone of the country.
He said “Everybody suppose to be a whistle blower under our Act, but I will like to warn at this junction that a lot of malicious petitions are also making the rounds, the people who are making these malicious petitions for their personal goods should also know that they are not protected by the law and that when we investigate and find them to be untrue and to be malicious, the ICPC Acts provide for prosecution, and we will definitely prosecute them.
“If you look at social media platforms, they are awash now with all kinds of malicious petitions and mudslinging on the people, they should know they are not protected by the law.”
He also added that lawmakers have a crucial role to play in the fight against corruption.
Senator Ben Murray Bruce in a Tweet cautioned ICPC to guide against infringing on the citizen’s right to free speech.
He said “The Plan by the ICPC to investigate bloggers and online sites raises concern, Let’s not toy with freedom of speech in Nigeria.”