Group raises alarm over data privacy violation of Nigerians

Paradigm Initiative has raised the alarm over the activities of unregistered websites having access to sensitive, personal and financial data of Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Thursday after addressing a press briefing themed ‘Major data breach: Sensitive government data of Nigerian citizens available online for just N100’, the Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative, ‘Gbenga Sesan, said, ” With just N100, we have the home address, tracking ID and NIN of the Head of Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji and with this slip, I can do evil things with his name because the slip is original. This is possible because NIMC has refused to do their job.

“If we can have the data of the Head of Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission who is the number one man in data protection, it means we are in trouble.

“With just N100, we can get the data of the President. This is quite unfortunate. We have said before that the data of Nigerians are being sold. We clearly stated in our statement some of the responses we want from the government.

Sesan said, “These unregistered and unauthorised websites were visited 567,990 times in February 2024 and 188,360 times in April 2024. Due to the severe implications for millions of Nigerians, we have through our legal partners, served a pre-action notice to the following government agencies National Identity Management Commission, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Independent National Electoral Commission, Federal Road Safety Corps and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

“Our key concerns are the unauthorised access to personal data is a blatant infringement on the privacy of Nigerian citizens.
The dissemination of such information could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities, including data
owners being targeted by burglars, kidnappers or terrorists who buy data that includes home addresses.

“The availability of sensitive financial data online can undermine the stability of Nigeria’s banking system. Fraudulent transactions and identity theft can erode public trust in financial institutions, potentially leading to a financial
crisis. This is exacerbated by recent findings of huge losses suffered by financial institutions in Nigeria due to digital manipulation.

“The breach of drivers’ licence information and other personal data can compromise national security. Such information can be exploited by criminal elements for unlawful activities, posing a threat to the safety and security of the
nation.

“The existence of these websites highlights significant gaps in data protection and
cybersecurity measures within the country. It underscores the urgent need for robust data protection laws and stringent enforcement
mechanisms to safeguard citizens’ data,” the statement warned.

Reacting to the Group’s claim, the Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke, in a telephone chat with PUNCH online, denied the claim, saying that there is no data breach.

In his words, “There is no data breach. We have issued a statement in regard to that since last week. The allegations are unsubstantiated. Please ignore them. Kindly do due diligence before you even publish any story to confirm the authenticity of my statement.”