Court Declares Ebonyi Cybercrimes Law Illegal, Unconstitutional

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki yesterday declared the controversial Ebonyi Cybercrimes Law No 12 of 2021 unconstitutional, null and void.

The Court ruling followed a suit by one Pascal Etu who had sued the State Governor, David Umahi over the controversial law.

The David Umahi-led administration had in September 2021 enacted the controversial law in equally controversial circumstances.

Apart from the House of Assembly members, no Journalist was present when the law was enacted even as there was no proof of the law going through a public hearing before being passed into law.

The entire process was quickly and secretly accented to by the state Governor, David Umahi almost immediately.

The public only became aware of the existence of the law when in October, a social critic, Godfrey Chikwere was arrested by the Police for allegedly flouting some sections of the law.

The Police were about to charge him in court when he suddenly slumped and was rushed to the hospital.

Earlier this year, Mr. Etu was arrested for allegedly flouting the law, so also was the Spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the State, of Chika Nwoba.

Both were remanded in prison by the State Magistrate Court pending the determination of the allegations against them.