Cyberbullying | Zikoko!

Actress Toyin Abraham in Another Drama With Another X User

Why is #FreeAyo the number one trending topic on X today? Who’s Ayo? Why are X users clamouring for his freedom? What’s the role of Toyin Abraham in this situation? This is a full explainer.

(L) Toyin Abraham, (R) X user @47kasz (AKA Ayo)

Around 8 PM on June 9, 2024, X user @jefferybest11 tweeted that Nollywood actress and film producer Toyin Abraham sent some Nigerian police officers to arrest his mum over a tweet he claims to know nothing about. They took his mum to the Panti police division.

In subsequent tweets, user @jefferybest11 stated that the police came to look for him on account of Toyin Abraham’s statement that he bullied the actress. The police didn’t find him, so they arrested his mom and sister instead.

As the situation unfolded, @jefferybest11 contacted a friend and another X user, @47kasz, to share the confusing details. @47kasz went to the Panti police station to verify the story. While there, actress Toyin Abraham called the station to clarify that @jeffreybest11 wasn’t the bully but @47kasz. The story becomes unclear as @jefferybest11 tweeted that @47kasz turned himself in as Toyin Abraham’s bully. The actress requested the police to release the arrested mom and sister, but the mom refused to leave unless the police released @47kasz, whose real name is Ayo.

Toyin Abraham also said that the arrest of @jefferybest11’s mum and sister wasn’t her intention. She only gave the police @jefferybest11’s phone number, which was traced to a phone held by his mum, and they apprehended the woman without her knowledge.

A tweet Ayo (@47kasz) made about Toyin Abraham on June 3, 2024, has now come up. He accused the actress of collecting Tinubu’s money to make her husband’s hair grow again. It’s still unclear if this tweet is evidence of cyberbullying he’s been held for.

In a now-deleted tweet, Toyin Abraham said she planned to forgive Ayo and let the issue go until @jefferybest11 took it to X.

Since this news broke, his mutuals and some other X users have been using the hashtag #FreeAyo to highlight the injustice of his illegal arrest and detainment. They aim to create awareness and garner support for Ayo’s plight. This is what Nigerians are saying about the situation.

Some furious X users took it further and sent emails to Netflix and Prime Amazon, reporting Toyin Abraham’s abuse of power to the streaming giants and asking to remove her films.

Today, Toyin Abraham took to her Instagram Live to debunk arresting @jefferybest11’s mom. In the same breath, she vowed to make the “bully” face the law’s wrath; if she goes down, she’s going down with all her bullies. “I want to kpai, I’m ready to kpai, and all my bullies will kpai with me,” she said on IG live.

At 3:40 PM on June 10, 2024, @jeffreybest11 tweeted that a bail process for Ayo (@47kasz) is ongoing.

This is a developing story.

Tomide Marv

July 10, 2024

Citizen, Pop

Cyberbullying, Defamation, Toyin Abraham, X User
Everything You Should Know About Cyber-bullying Laws in Nigeria

Call it what you want — cyberstalking, cyberbullying or trolling — it doesn’t change what it really is. Since social media became a global means of communication, it has become common to troll or bully anyone just for fun.

There’s a chance anyone can call it freedom of speech and harmless trolling, the Nigerian law sees it as cyber-stalking and can put you in trouble.

Although the main victims have been content creators, influencers and public figures, cyber-stalking happens to people around the world every day in several shapes and forms.

Now, if you’re asking yourself, “What is considered cyberbullying in Nigeria, and how can it put me in trouble?” Here are your answers.

What Does The Nigerian Law Say About Cyberstalking?

Let’s forget our lawmakers’ previous efforts to ban social media or regulate its usage, Nigeria has laws that can incriminate some of your actions on social media.

According to Section 15 of the Cybercrime Act in 2015:

Section 15 of the Cyber-stalking Act

The act also states that any person(s) who sends messages with the intent to; harass, blackmail, bully or threaten another individual in such a way that causes fear of death, violence and anxiety may be convicted of a jail sentence between five to ten years, a fine between ₦15,000,000 and ₦25,000,000 or both imprisonment and fines.

What Does This Mean In Layman’s Terms?

It turns out that even if you don’t mean it, anything you say or do on social media can be used against you in a court of law — literally.

If your comments were deemed defamatory, insulting, misleading or violent by their recipient, you might have to speak to their lawyers next.

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Have These Laws Ever Been Applied?

Yes. Many artists and public figures have taken this legal “no gree for anybody” anthem seriously this year and in the past.

Lawsuits have been filed against online trolls from public figures like Mercy Chinwo, Nathaniel Bassey, Mayorkun, Eniola Badmus, and Chef Dami.

Although not all these cases make it to court or jail like that of Iyabo Ojo and Lizzy Anjorin, it would be best to avoid it happening in the first place. Who knows? It could be your turn and your village people decide to sprinkle trouble in it for you.

To catch up with more unpopular laws in Nigeria, here’s Nigeria’s take on abortion.

Raymond Temituro

April 24, 2024

Citizen

Cyberbullying, Internet bullying, Law, Nigeria, Nigerians, punishment