HURIWA tackles Police, NDPC over alleged NIPSS data breach involving naval officer

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has criticised the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, and the National Data Protection Commission, NDPC, over the alleged delay in investigating petitions concerning alleged cybercrime, unlawful interception of private communications and data protection breaches involving a senior naval officer and officials of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS.

The pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group said more than a year after the petitions were submitted, neither the Nigeria Police Force nor the NDPC had publicly communicated the status of their investigations or taken what it described as visible steps to address the allegations.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, raised the concerns in a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, 2026, warning that prolonged silence by the relevant authorities could undermine public confidence in the enforcement of Nigeria’s cybercrime and data protection laws.

According to the group, the petitions were submitted on July 1, 2025, by the Publisher of PRNigeria, Yushau A. Shuaib, alleging the unauthorised access, interception and use of private digital correspondence belonging to him and his organisation during disciplinary proceedings at NIPSS.

HURIWA said the alleged interception was carried out without a court order or other lawful authorisation.

The group said the petitions named Barrister Nima Salman Mann, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha and Professor Elias Wahab as individuals allegedly linked to the incident.

It argued that the allegations, if established by competent investigations, could raise serious issues under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and other relevant cybersecurity laws.

HURIWA said the matter could have wider implications for privacy rights, institutional data governance, media-source confidentiality and public trust in government institutions.

“The allegations, if established through investigation, could constitute significant violations of Nigeria’s data protection framework with implications for privacy rights, institutional data governance, media source confidentiality and public trust in government institutions,” the group said.

The rights organisation called on the NDPC, led by its National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Olatunji, to clarify the status of the petition and disclose any interim findings, while outlining measures being taken to prevent similar alleged breaches in public institutions.

According to HURIWA, the controversy had gone beyond an individual grievance and now represented a test of Nigeria’s commitment to enforcing its data protection regime, particularly within government institutions.

The group also urged IGP Disu to direct the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to expedite investigations into the alleged cybercrime.

HURIWA recalled that a similar concern had been raised by another group in a statement issued on April 6, 2026, over what it described as delays in acting on the petition despite the submission of what it considered credible evidence to investigators.

The association alleged that the police had yet to invite or question some of the individuals named in the petition, particularly Rear Admiral Mustapha, whom it described as central to allegations of intimidation, institutional bullying and unlawful interception of private correspondence.

HURIWA further raised concerns about what it described as a potential conflict of interest, alleging that Barrister Mann and Rear Admiral Mustapha are members of the National Institute (mni), alongside former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Sadiq Idris Abubakar, who previously supervised the FCID.

The group said any perception that institutional affiliations could influence the handling of the matter could undermine public confidence in law enforcement and the principle of equality before the law.

It also referred to the recent publication of Mr Shuaib’s memoir, MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying, which recounts his experience during the 2025 Senior Executive Course at NIPSS.

According to HURIWA, the memoir alleges a pattern of institutional intimidation and identifies Rear Admiral Mustapha as a central figure in events that culminated in Mr Shuaib’s withdrawal from the programme.

The association, however, stressed that the publication of the memoir and the controversy surrounding Mr Shuaib’s withdrawal from NIPSS were separate from the alleged cybercrime and data protection issues.

HURIWA said the cyber-related allegations should therefore be independently investigated by the appropriate authorities, regardless of the ongoing civil litigation arising from the NIPSS controversy.

“An elementary principle of law is that the existence of a civil suit does not bar criminal investigation or prosecution where criminal offences are alleged,” the group said.

It called on the police to invite all individuals named in the petitions for questioning in accordance with due process and urged the NDPC to investigate the alleged data protection violations promptly and transparently.

The rights group warned that continued delay in addressing the petitions could reinforce perceptions of selective justice and weaken public trust in Nigeria’s law enforcement and data protection institutions.

HURIWA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting accountability, the rule of law and stronger institutional safeguards for digital privacy and cybersecurity in Nigeria.