NIGERIA: Raining Curses Online Now Classified As Cyberbullying, Police PRO Warns

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria  

The Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has declared that the act of raining direct curses on individuals online is a form of cyberbullying and a criminal offence under the law.

Adejobi made this assertion in a post on X.com (formerly Twitter) on Friday, sparking debates among Nigerians about the limits of freedom of expression in the digital age.

In his post, Adejobi clarified that abusive language targeting individuals on social media is neither a form of criticism nor an exercise of free speech.

He said: “Raining direct curses on someone online is cyberbullying, not expression of freedom or criticism. And cyberbullying, which is even different from defamation, is a criminal offence and punishable. Be guided.”

However, his statement has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians online.

Felix Abayomi, tweeting under #felabayomi, questioned the legality of such a classification, saying, “When does raining curses become a crime? I look forward to the day someone will challenge these laws.”

Another user, tweeting anonymously as #kingkhone4real, offered a satirical take, saying, “If that were the case, then all Nigerians should have been in prison by now.”

However, there was also support for Adejobi’s position.

A user identified as #omoopee wrote: “You are absolutely right, sir; raining curses and engaging in cyberbullying is not freedom of expression but an act of harm. We must all learn to express ourselves responsibly.”

The post comes amid growing concerns about online harassment and cyberbullying in Nigeria, particularly on social media platforms.

Experts have emphasised the need for stricter enforcement of existing laws to curb harmful online behavior, which has far-reaching implications for victims’ mental health and well-being.