The House of Representatives yesterday mandated its committees on ICT, Justice and Anti-Corruption to investigate the alleged award of over $40 million internet spying contract to a foreign company.
The alleged contract was to monitor computers and internet activities of over 45 millions Nigerians on the web.
A motion raised under matters of urgent public importance by Hon. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (ANPPZamfara state), noted the contact was reported to have been secretly awarded in breach of due process, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007. The sponsor of the motion told the House that the award of the contact contravened the basic privacy provision in Chapter 4, Section 37 of the 1999 constitution, as amended.
According to him, the contract was awarded on the pretext of information gathering, but could be a brazen violation of citizens’ privacy. The House, in a unanimous decision, urged the Federal Government to suspend all actions with regard to the contract, pending investigation. The alleged contract has generated anger from a cross section of Nigerians.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Lai Mohammed, had warned the government against its infringement on the rights of journalists and citizens to hold it accountable.
Mohammed said the contract was a waste of resources and in breach of the constitution on citizens’ rights. However, President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly initiated moves to cancel the said contract.
The President was said to have “summoned” the management of Elbit Systems, an Israeli security firm given the contract, to the Presidential Villa on the matter.
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