Regina Otokpa 
…decry increasing human rights abuses
A Civil Society Organisation, Spaces for Change (S4C), has called on the Nigerian government and her African counterparts to strengthen existing regulations on the importation and use of surveillance technologies, to protect citizens from the risk and harms associated with the rising use of technology.
The Executive Director, S4C West Africa, Ms Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, made this call at the West Africa Civil Society Week (WACSW), organised by S4C in collaboration with the West Africa Civil Society Institut (WACSI) under the West Africa Civic Space Resources Hub (CSR-Hub) with support by the Ford Foundation.
Ibezim-Ohaeri who made reference to a new report, “The Proliferation of Dual-use Surveillance Technologies in Nigeria: Deployment, Risks and Accountability,” unveiled during the event, regretted the rising cases of human rights abuses by both state and non-state actors occasioned by the use of surveillance technologies.
She said: “While technology offers powerful tools for progress, it also presents significant risks, particularly when used to suppress civic freedoms, invade privacy or stifle civic participation.
“Who is responsible for the proliferation and harmful deployment of surveillance technologies? The manufacturers/exporting countries, the importing countries or both? That is what propelled us to conduct another enquiry.
“At Spaces for Change, we have been committed to addressing these risks through research evidence as an array of digital rights initiatives, ensuring that civil society and human rights defenders are well equipped to navigate and counter these challenges.”
Presenting the report, the Lead, S4C Ghana County Office, Olusola Mercy Olutayo raised concerns over what she described as huge regulatory and control gaps in Dual Use Surveillance Technologies (DUTs), noting that they could be used to carry out terrorist attacks, create explosives using agro based products etc.
While revealing that countries in Africa including Nigeria, spend over $1 billion in the importation of digital surveillance technologies from countries like the U.S, UK, China amongst others every year, the report also warned that the African continent was falling prey to the espionage activities conducted by foreign countries.
She said: “The proliferation of surveillance technologies and the associated human rights abuses have soared because of their dual use nature of most technologies and their corresponding capacity to be used both military and civilian uses, either for malevolent or benevolent objectives.
“More so, the deployment of dual use technologies without proper checks and balances increased the potential for abuse, diversion and repurposing for harmful objectives.
“The report documented abuse of spyware and other DUTs by both state and non-state actors. It provided evidence showing that terrorist organisations have started deploying semi-autonomous drones against targets.
“Nearly all dual use technologies and applications with surveillance capabilities including smart phones, smart electronics, spywares, military equipment, social.networkimg sites etc used in Nigeria are externally produced and controlled.
“Citizens’ data in the hands of foreign nation states that produce and supply these technologies could best enormous influence over political or economic affairs of one foreign nation over the other.”
“The lack of transparency in the procurement processes for technological acquisitions raises concerns about corruption, fraud and misuse of public funds, weakening domestic financial systems and reducing public confidence in government.”
The report recommended implementation of due diligence for effective export and import control of DUTs, appointment or constitution of an independent and efficient regulator asides Office of the National Security Adviser, reform of the import controls regulatory framework an enshrine human rights provisions “in the heart of import and export regimes.”
Regional Director, Ford Foundation West Africa Office, Catherine Aniagolu-Okoye, noted that the 2024 West Africa Civil Society Week was aimed at exploring how technology could enhance the work of civil society on one hand, and also the challenges that technology presents.
“We’re hoping that at the end of this event, civil society organizations will be better prepared, better aware, better equipped to use technology sensibly, and also to be aware of the risks.
“We’re thinking that technology is extremely central to the work that civil society does, and if they are able to engage with technology in a very advantageous and favorable way, it will make a difference to the development and democracy and the issues that they are trying to address in Nigeria.”
