The Nigerian Government has unleashed a sweeping purge on Nigeria’s digital space, targeting revenge p*rn, cyberstalking, deepfakes and manipulated nudes. In the last two weeks alone, global platforms confirmed that more than 13.5 million Nigerian accounts have been suspended and nearly 60 million posts deleted.
According to them, this is not routine moderation but an enforcement of the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms issued by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), which makes it mandatory for platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, Telegram, Snapchat, Whatsapp, Instagram and others to take down non-consensual sexual content within 48 hours of being flagged. Platforms that fail face sanctions under Nigerian law.
Security agencies say the dragnet was triggered by intelligence pointing to coordinated attempts to leak or fabricate explicit images for blackmail and political sabotage. According to our investigations, this trail is already being followed for prosecution. Every upload, every repost, every comment leaves a footprint. Forensic tools are in place, and officials insist there will be no hiding place.
The warning is backed by precedent. In March, a Nigerian man was extradited to the United States over a sextortion case that involved intimate content. He is now facing charges that carry the weight of decades in prison. Authorities say the same fate awaits anyone in Nigeria who dares to weaponise sexual content.
Revenge p*rn is not gossip. It is a crime under the Cybercrimes Act and the NITDA Code of Practice. The crackdown has already wiped millions of accounts off the web. The next step will not be suspension. It will be handcuffs and prosecution.