The Federal Government of Nigeria is frowning at a trend of leaking official government documents to the media or other interested parties. The government said the heinous practice portends a threat to national security and is illegal and punishable under the law.\
Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), addressed this issue at an Abuja workshop on Tuesday, themed “Renewing hope and strengthening of national unity through effective communication and the role of the Official Secret Acts in maintaining confidentiality and national security.“
The Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) jointly organized the workshop.
During his address, represented by Dr Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the SGF, Akume said it was critical to maintain the highest standard of confidentiality in government business.
He said the unauthorized leakage of sensitive official documents is a felony, and no defense is permissible under the Constitution or the Freedom of Information Act.
Mr. Akume said Section 97 (2) of the Criminal Code Act of Nigeria stipulates a punishment of up to one year imprisonment for any public service employee who, without proper authority, copies or discloses any document owned by their employer.
The SGF also recalled measures previously implemented to curb the leakage of sensitive information across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He noted that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation issued service-wide circulars in August 2021 to tighten the security of official documents and ensure compliance with established protocols.
He said, “This was reinforced by the issuance of another service-wide circular in February 2024 on the unauthorized circulation of official documents with information on social media.
“This was done to re-emphasize other extant regulations prohibiting unauthorized disclosure or leakage of official documents.
“There is the need to regulate the activities of the civil society organizations who use the Freedom of Information Act to harass, intimidate, and siphon resources from public officers through the dissemination of fake and unfounded information.
“This should be properly addressed by all the communication and related industries practitioners.”
Akume commended the BPSR for organizing the workshop, saying it underlines the government’s importance in disseminating correct and truthful information.
Bureau for Public Service Reforms
The Director-General of the Bureau, Dr. Dasuki Arabi, urged participants to equip themselves with the Official Secrets Act and effectively communicate government policies and programs to the public.
He said, “Your role as communication managers in MDAs is crucial, especially in our increasingly complex information ecosystem.
“In today’s environment, communications and platforms are highly fragmented. The government cannot afford to be reactive.
“It must lead the communication landscape to prevent misinformation and ensure that citizens are all informed about the activities, objectives of government, and benefits of its policies and programs to the citizens of the country.
“Accurate and prompt information delivery is essential and cannot be compromised as its impact on service delivery and governance is profound.”
Arabi instructed communication managers to utilize training on traditional and social media platforms to effectively communicate government initiatives, programs, and services to the public.
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