NCC Act Anachronistic, Says CJN

The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen has
called for the review of the Act establishing the Nigerian
Communications Commission NCC saying the Act 2003 has become
moribund.

Justice Onnoghen explained that the Act called for urgent review
to bridge the gap created by technological advancement in the
telecoms sector following the invention of smart phones, tablets
and expansion of wireless and broadband internet infrastructures in
the country.

Justice Onnoghen spoke at Ibeto Hotels, Abuja, while declaring
open the 2017 Annual Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in
Telecoms organised by the NCC.

Represented by Justice Olu Ariwo-Ola of the Supreme Court, the
CJN said: “ It is important to mention that with the enactment of
NCC Act of 2003, new issues and other technological challenges that
have arisen that have not been adequately envisaged, for instance
the arrival of smart phones, tablets, expansion of our wireless and
broadband internet infrastructures have attracted a new breed of
smart and intellectual subscribers.

“This category of subscribers relies on their devices to perform
ordinary daily activities which have made consumers privacy
protection very paramount. This has given rise to more
sophisticated way on committing crimes.

“The challenges posed by this new behavioral pattern has made it
imperative to review the existing act in order to bridge the gap
created by this technological advancement in the telecommunication
sectors.”

He said given the importance of the telecoms sector to the
socio-economic development of Nigeria, there is the need to
properly regulate the sector to ensure compliance with existing law
for the good of the country.

Justice Onnoghen said it was necessary for judges to be updated
with developments in the sector to ensure speedy dispensation of
justice and praised the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for
partnering with the NCC to organise the workshop.

“ Over the past decade, our country has experienced a healthy
increase in the numbers of service providers and consumers and this
has made the sector very complicated and competitive, consequently
this may result in a number of disputes and challenges that may
need to be adjudicated upon.

“This informs the need for this annual workshop and aimed at
equipping the judicial officers with the legal and technical skills
in telecommunications to keep them abreast of global activities”
Justice Onnoghen asserted.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Garba Danbatta said the
workshop has become a platform to carry the members of the bench
along on developments in the telecoms industry, stressing that the
sector has become sophisticated with inherent challenges bordering
on cyber-security and cyber-crimes.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders
Management, Mr Sunday Dare, the NCC chief said: “The proliferation
of the internet and the decreasing cost of technology has provided
millions of users’ access to enormous resources with a resultant
increase in cybercrimes.

“Cyber-criminals continue to develop new strategies to
circumvent cybersecurity measures regardless of their
sophistication. We are hopeful that in the continuing course of
implementation of the cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention and
others) Act 2015, cyber security will be strenghtened in
Nigeria.”

The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen has
called for the review of the Act establishing the Nigerian
Communications Commission NCC saying the Act 2003 has become
moribund.

Justice Onnoghen explained that the Act called for urgent review
to bridge the gap created by technological advancement in the
telecoms sector following the invention of smart phones, tablets
and expansion of wireless and broadband internet infrastructures in
the country.

Justice Onnoghen spoke at Ibeto Hotels, Abuja, while declaring
open the 2017 Annual Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in
Telecoms organised by the NCC.

Represented by Justice Olu Ariwo-Ola of the Supreme Court, the
CJN said: “ It is important to mention that with the enactment of
NCC Act of 2003, new issues and other technological challenges that
have arisen that have not been adequately envisaged, for instance
the arrival of smart phones, tablets, expansion of our wireless and
broadband internet infrastructures have attracted a new breed of
smart and intellectual subscribers.

“This category of subscribers relies on their devices to perform
ordinary daily activities which have made consumers privacy
protection very paramount. This has given rise to more
sophisticated way on committing crimes.

“The challenges posed by this new behavioral pattern has made it
imperative to review the existing act in order to bridge the gap
created by this technological advancement in the telecommunication
sectors.”

He said given the importance of the telecoms sector to the
socio-economic development of Nigeria, there is the need to
properly regulate the sector to ensure compliance with existing law
for the good of the country.

Justice Onnoghen said it was necessary for judges to be updated
with developments in the sector to ensure speedy dispensation of
justice and praised the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for
partnering with the NCC to organise the workshop.

“ Over the past decade, our country has experienced a healthy
increase in the numbers of service providers and consumers and this
has made the sector very complicated and competitive, consequently
this may result in a number of disputes and challenges that may
need to be adjudicated upon.

“This informs the need for this annual workshop and aimed at
equipping the judicial officers with the legal and technical skills
in telecommunications to keep them abreast of global activities”
Justice Onnoghen asserted.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Garba Danbatta said the
workshop has become a platform to carry the members of the bench
along on developments in the telecoms industry, stressing that the
sector has become sophisticated with inherent challenges bordering
on cyber-security and cyber-crimes.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders
Management, Mr Sunday Dare, the NCC chief said: “The proliferation
of the internet and the decreasing cost of technology has provided
millions of users’ access to enormous resources with a resultant
increase in cybercrimes.

“Cyber-criminals continue to develop new strategies to
circumvent cybersecurity measures regardless of their
sophistication. We are hopeful that in the continuing course of
implementation of the cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention and
others) Act 2015, cyber security will be strenghtened in
Nigeria.”