The Taraba State chapter of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has raised the alarm over alleged cyberbullying, blackmail, intimidation and character attacks targeting women in leadership positions across the state.
The council said the growing trend was particularly concerning at a time when efforts were being made to increase women’s participation in governance, public service and leadership.
Key Highlights
- Taraba NCWS has raised concerns over alleged cyberbullying and online harassment targeting women leaders.
- The council alleged that some women have been subjected to blackmail, threats, defamatory publications and gender-based insults.
- NCWS President Mercy Daniel called for investigations into the alleged circulation of private banking information and deepfakes.
- The council urged the CBN and security agencies to investigate the alleged unlawful release of confidential banking details.
- NCWS said corruption allegations against public officials should be handled through due process and the courts, rather than “trial by social media.”
- The council called on media organisations and digital platforms to act against defamatory content, online harassment and deepfakes.
NCWS Raises Concern Over Digital Attacks
NCWS President in Taraba, Mrs Mercy Daniel, raised the concerns on Tuesday in Jalingo during a press briefing, where she called for stronger measures to protect women leaders from what she described as gender-based digital violence.
According to Daniel, the alleged attacks take different forms, including coordinated social media campaigns, personal threats, defamatory publications and gender-based insults intended to discredit women and pressure them out of public office.
She said some of the alleged attacks involved the circulation of doctored photographs, deepfakes, hacked personal information and private banking details, describing the development as an attempt to damage the reputation and professional standing of women leaders.
Daniel listed the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Dr Aisha Shehu; the Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (TSEMA), Dr Echuseh Audu; the Provost of the College of Nursing Sciences, Mrs Dorcas Dugule; and some serving female commissioners among those she said had been affected.
‘Digital Harassment Could Discourage Women From Leadership’
The NCWS president said the issue extended beyond attacks against individual women, warning that sustained digital harassment could undermine public confidence in institutions and discourage other women from seeking leadership positions.
“Taraba women will not keep quiet and will not allow digital mobs to dictate who serves our communities,” Daniel said.
She also criticised the publication of alleged private banking details belonging to Dr Audu by SaharaReporters, describing the disclosure as an invasion of privacy.
“We specifically call out SaharaReporters for its brand of blackmail journalism. Publishing Dr Audu’s private bank account details, intruding into her privacy, and alleging transactions without proven evidence and legal basis is not investigative journalism,” Daniel said.
NCWS Calls for Investigation Into Banking Information
Daniel called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and relevant security agencies to investigate how the alleged confidential banking information was obtained and prosecute anyone found to have unlawfully accessed or released it.
She stressed, however, that the NCWS was not opposed to investigations into corruption allegations against public officials.
Rather, she said such allegations should be subjected to due process and established through competent legal institutions instead of what she described as “trial by social media.”
NCWS Urges Parties to Allow Court Process
On the case involving Audu, Daniel said the TSEMA executive secretary had voluntarily submitted herself to the authorities following allegations against her and that the matter was now before the court.
She appealed to interested parties to allow the judicial process to run its course instead of subjecting the accused to continued media trials and what she described as character assassination.
The NCWS president also commended Audu for what she described as interventions supporting flood victims, displaced families and widows across Taraba.
She similarly praised Dugule for her efforts to improve nursing education and institutional development.
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Council Demands Action Against Online Harassment
Beyond the individual cases, the council called on cybercrime authorities to investigate and prosecute those allegedly involved in online harassment, blackmail and bullying of women leaders.
It also urged authorities to investigate individuals or groups allegedly sponsoring such campaigns where evidence establishes their involvement.
The NCWS further called on media organisations and digital platforms to enforce their rules against defamatory content and deepfakes and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in tracing those responsible for such material.
NCWS Commends Taraba Government on Women’s Inclusion
Daniel commended Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas for appointing women to key positions in his administration, saying the appointments had contributed to promoting gender inclusion and equity in governance.
She assured women serving in leadership positions across the state of the support of the National Council of Women Societies, while warning that perpetrators of online harassment could face legal consequences where violations are established.
The council’s position has renewed attention on the intersection between women’s participation in public life and the risks associated with digital abuse, particularly the use of social media to intimidate, shame or discredit women in positions of authority.
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