By Abel Leonard, Lafia
Media professionals and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nasarawa State have been urged to take the lead in exposing and addressing digital rights violations and data privacy breaches affecting residents across the state’s 13 Local Government Areas.
This call was made yesterday during a one-day Digital Rights Roundtable Engagement for Media Practitioners and CSOs, held on Thursday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital. The event was organised by Accountability Lab Nigeria to promote awareness, protection, and enforcement of digital rights.
Delivering her remarks, Blessing Anolaba, Storytelling Development Officer at Accountability Lab Nigeria, said the initiative aims to empower journalists and CSOs to serve as voices for victims of digital rights violations.
“We are here to train journalists and CSOs on the importance of safeguarding citizens’ digital rights and data privacy. Many citizens have experienced breaches and do not have avenues to seek redress. Journalists and CSOs are in a unique position to amplify these stories and ensure justice,” Anolaba said.
She further cautioned against the spread of misinformation and fake news, warning that it poses significant threats to national development and social cohesion.
Speaking on the broader objective of the engagement, Alfred Agu, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Associate at Accountability Lab, noted that the roundtable was organised to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and tools to understand the legal frameworks governing data privacy, digital rights, and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
He stated that the training also sought to strengthen the capacity of media and civil society actors to identify, respond to, and report digital rights violations, especially those involving accountability gaps and misuse of personal data.
“The media and CSOs have a critical role to play in building public awareness and advancing accountability. Citizens should also be encouraged to use platforms like Ripoti to report and monitor digital rights abuses, and to hold responsible parties accountable,” Agu added.
On behalf of the participants, Shuaibu Muhammad commended Accountability Lab Nigeria for the initiative, noting that it had broadened their understanding of the issues surrounding digital rights and data protection.
He assured that both journalists and CSO representatives in the state would leverage their platforms to sensitize the public and contribute actively to the protection of digital freedoms and rights.
The engagement is part of a wider campaign by Accountability Lab Nigeria to foster a rights-conscious society where digital freedoms are protected, and violators are held to account.