HURIWA Tackles Police, NDPC Over Alleged NIPSS Data Breach, Demands Probe of Naval Officer

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted the Nigeria Police Force and the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over the alleged delay in investigating petitions concerning an alleged data breach and unlawful interception of private communications linked to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

The rights advocacy group specifically called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, and the National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, to take urgent steps to establish the status of the petitions and ensure that the allegations are investigated.

In a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, 2026, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, said more than a year had elapsed since the petitions were submitted, with neither the police nor the NDPC publicly communicating the outcome or progress of their investigations.

The group described the alleged delay as troubling, warning that prolonged inaction could undermine public confidence in the enforcement of Nigeria’s cybercrime and data protection laws.

According to HURIWA, the petitions were submitted on July 1, 2025, by the publisher of PRNigeria, Alhaji Yushau A. Shuaib.

The petitions allegedly concerned the unauthorised access, interception and use of private digital correspondence belonging to Shuaib 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 organisation named Barrister Nima Salman Mann, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha and Professor Elias Wahab as individuals allegedly linked to the matter.

HURIWA stressed that the allegations, if established through a proper investigation, could raise serious issues under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and other applicable cybercrime and privacy laws.

The group said the matter has implications beyond the individuals involved, particularly for digital privacy, media-source confidentiality, data governance and public confidence in government institutions.

It therefore urged the NDPC to provide clarification on the status of the petition, disclose any interim findings where appropriate and explain the steps being taken to prevent similar incidents in public institutions.

HURIWA also called on the IGP to direct the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to expedite investigation into the alleged cybercrime.

The rights group recalled that a similar concern had been raised publicly on April 6, 2026, over the alleged delay in acting on the petition despite what it described as evidence submitted to investigators.

It further alleged that the police had not invited or questioned 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 also raised concerns about what it described as a potential conflict-of-interest perception arising from institutional affiliations.

According to the organisation, Barrister Mann and Rear Admiral Mustapha are members of the National Institute (mni), while former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Sadiq Idris Abubakar, who previously supervised the FCID, is also a member.

The group said such affiliations should not be allowed to create any perception of preferential treatment or compromise the independence of an investigation.

It argued that public confidence in law enforcement depends not only on investigations being conducted but also on their perceived fairness and impartiality.

The controversy has also received renewed public attention following the publication of Shuaib’s memoir, MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying.

According to HURIWA, the book chronicles Shuaib’s experience during the 2025 Senior Executive Course at NIPSS and contains allegations of institutional intimidation, with Rear Admiral Mustapha identified as a central figure in the events that preceded Shuaib’s withdrawal from the programme.

The group, however, stressed that the memoir and the broader dispute surrounding Shuaib’s withdrawal from the NIPSS programme should not be conflated with the alleged cybercrime and data protection violations.

HURIWA maintained that the allegations of unlawful interception and unauthorised access to private communications require an independent investigation based on evidence.

It also rejected any suggestion that pending civil litigation arising from Shuaib’s withdrawal from the Senior Executive Course should prevent criminal investigation where offences are alleged.

“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,” HURIWA said.

The organisation urged the police to invite all persons named in the petitions for questioning in accordance with due process and called on the NDPC to exercise its statutory powers by investigating the alleged data protection violations promptly and transparently.

HURIWA warned that continued silence or delay could fuel perceptions of selective justice and weaken confidence in institutions responsible for protecting citizens’ privacy and enforcing Nigeria’s digital laws.

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