Nollywood actress
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on August 2, 2023, sentenced Ms Nwakaego Okoye, a social media influencer, to three years imprisonment for allegedly “cyberstalking” Ms Eniola Badmus, a Nollywood actress, on the social media platform, TikTok
Ms Okoye who pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of cyberstalking was given her an option of paying a fine of N150,000 in lieu of jail time in consideration of her remorse.
Nwakaego and one Chimabia (now at large) were accused of conspirng to commit the offence between December 2022 and July 2023 in Lagos in contravention of Sections 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(c) and 27 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.
Nwakaego apologised for her actions, saying she needed money to pay her house rent, adding that desperation pushed her into acting in such a manner. She said a friend of hers, Fortune Ibe, convinced her that if she talks about Ms Eniola Badmus, the actress would send her N200,000 because she informed her friend about her rent.
She said: “That was what prompted the video. I am so sorry; I just did that because I was desperate to pay my house rent. I just did it because of the money.”
Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice has actually ruled that section 24 of Nigeria’s Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 is not in conformity with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Court ordered Nigeria to repeal or amend the section, which it held to be in gross violation of the right to freedom of expression.
